Mikel Arteta provides Gabriel Martinelli injury update after Arsenal win

Gabriel Martinelli is a doubt for Arsenal’s Champions League return after he suffered a suspected hamstring injury during Sunday’s win over Everton.

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The Brazil international thought he had opened the scoring in the 19th minute, only to see his goal ruled out for offside in contentious circumstances.

Martinelli’s frustration turned to annoyance moments afterwards when he was forced off ahead of a critical week with fixtures against PSV Eindhoven and Tottenham on the horizon.

‘He felt something in his hamstring so he will need to be assessed,’ he told the BBC after the game.

Pressed on Martinelli’s injury in his post match press conference, Arteta added: ‘He felt, I think, something in the action in the run for the goal.

‘He’s not normally a player to have muscular issues, but he had to come off. Let’s see.’

Martinelli was replaced by the eventual matchwinner, Leandro Trossard, who finally broke Everton’s resistance with a superb finish with 20 minutes remaining.

‘Great finish,’ said the Arsenal manager. ‘He did it in the week with Belgium as well.

‘It’s what we need – the players who came in did very well, the subs that came on did very well. We need everyone on their toes and we fully trust them.’

The victory represented Arsenal’s first three point haul in the Blue half of Merseyside since 2017 and Arteta was delighted to put a long-running hoodoo to bed.

He said: ‘We talked about it, this is the challenge. For six years we haven’t won here and there are a few reasons for it.

‘It’s how you do things and the input you do in every single action. I think we played an incredible game, we kept them quiet and created many, many chances,

‘The first (disallowed) goal, as well, should be allowed. We dominated the game and we are extremely happy to go away with a win and a clean sheet.’

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