Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says other forwards have simply stepped up and performed better than Gabriel Martinelli in recent months.

The Spaniard praised the likes of Alexandre Lacazette and Nicolas Pepe for giving more since Christmas but, when he was asked specifically about the Brazilian, Arteta called on the 19-year-old to make the most of the opportunities he is given:

“Everybody has to step up in games and create big moments because the front players at the end have to be the ones who decide it for us… He wants to play all the time. We know him and he is disappointed when he is not playing.”

“But you know that when you throw him on that pitch he is going to do his best. He had his opportunity last week against Benfica when I decided to substitute Aubameyang and give him some minutes. He needs to take his opportunity and if he plays on Sunday he needs to perform like everybody else.”

Considering Martinelli has barely had a sniff over the past few weeks in terms of minutes on the pitch compared to the likes of Pepe or even Willian, it’s a strange statement from Arteta, to say the least.

Whether he is not showing enough in training, we just don’t know, but his work ethic isn’t something that can be questioned so you would think he is doing everything he can to give Arteta food for thought.

The fact that Willian started against Leicester today, instead of him, was a big surprise, considering the Gunners used the match to rotate a number of players.