Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli insists fellow Gunners forward Bukayo Saka is “one of the best players in the world right now” after they beat Southampton 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
The Gunners were stunned when Cameron Archer fired Southampton ahead with 55 minutes gone. But Saka started the comeback three minutes later when he disposed Flynn Downes to provide Kai Havertz with his fourth goal in as many games, and his seventh in a row at the Emirates.
Arsenal substitute Martinelli then converted Saka’s pinpoint cross on 68 minutes. The 23-year-old capped another fine performance by getting his name on the scoresheet in the closing stages.
Saka, who said earlier this week he is convinced this will be the season that Arsenal beat Manchester City to the Premier League title, has seven assists in the Premier League so far, three more than any other player, and the most across all of Europe’s top five leagues. He also surpassed Robert Pires’ tally of 41 assists for the Gunners.
Speaking about Saka, Martinelli said: “He’s unbelievable, and one of the best players in the world right now.
“He’s a really nice guy as well so we’re really happy to have him here as one of the captains.
“It was an unbelievable ball from Bukayo and I was there to score. It was a really good moment for me and a nice goal.”
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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta also waxed lyrical about Saka after the match, he said: “There are the stats and you cannot get away from that, and what he’s doing at his age is unbelievable.
“He has the capacity to change and decide games like many other players. That is his maturity and it’s another step in what he wants.
“When you do it at home, do it in big games, in not so big games, and when the team needs him. That’s what defines a top, top player. If we want to be at the top, sometimes players have to create those moments and he’s certainly done that again today.”
Four days after their statement victory against Paris St Germain, Arsenal were back at the Emirates to face a side which had taken just one point from their opening six matches.
Arsenal dominated the first half but registered just one shot on the returning Aaron Ramsdale’s goal.
The Gunners were then stunned by the Saints, and, even after Martinelli’s strike, they rode their luck when David Raya’s woodwork was tested on two occasions in one minute.
“We started the second half a bit sloppy,” said Arteta. “It was unbelievable that we did not score in the first half. But we threw away everything we did, and started a completely brand new game in a difficult context.
“We had a wake-up call with their goal, and it’s true we had to react to that. But we did it and we did it in a convincing way.”
