“I’ve been saying the last two years" - Pundit claims Arsenal will struggle to win PL if 'direct' player retains his place in starting XI

Former Premier League player turned pundit Danny Simpson believes Arsenal's chances of winning the Premier League could be compromised if Gabriel Martinelli continues to be a regular starter at the north London club.

Since moving to Arsenal from Ituano in 2019, Martinelli's performance has fluctuated significantly. The Brazilian winger registered 16 goal contributions across competitions for the Gunners last season.

Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta's side have endured heartbreaks in the Premier League in recent years, finishing second in each of the last three seasons. They look set to put an end to their near misses in the English top flight, having won each of their first two games this season.

Speaking on the Beyond the Four podcast, Simpson expressed his admiration for Martinelli’s style of play but opined that the Gunners may once again fall short in the title race if the winger retains his place in Mikel Arteta’s starting XI. The former Manchester United and Leicester City defender said:

“When those players come in it can raise your game. I think that’s what Arsenal have missed – Madueke coming off the bench, obviously Havertz is injured now, but coming off the bench, Martinelli having a bit of competition. I’ve been saying the last two years, I love him as a player, he’s direct, Martinelli, but I just didn’t think they would win the league with just him out there. Now obviously Eze – top, top, top player.”

Martinelli played for 60 minutes in Arsenal’s Premier League opener against Manchester United but was an unused substitute during their 5-0 rout of Leeds United.

Danny Simpson believes the center-back duo will be crucial to Arsenal’s title chances

Speaking further, Simpson claimed Arsenal have a strong chance of winning the Premier League if William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes remain fit all season. Saliba and Gabriel have formed a formidable partnership at the heart of the Gunners’ defense, which has been a huge factor in the club’s revival in recent seasons.

Simpson continued:

“For me, I think Saliba and Gabriel – if those two stay fit the whole season… when one of them’s missing, they don’t look right. And I think those two, I think they’re the best centre-back pairing in the league. I think if those two stay fit, and you’ve got all these attacking players now that can score you goals at any moment, I think they’re going to be right up there. I think this is the time that he has to win a league this year for me, you’ve spent all that money now, but keeping those two fit with David Raya behind them I think is key.”

In the 2023-24 season, Saliba and Gabriel anchored an Arsenal defense that conceded just 29 goals - the fewest in the league, altough they ultimately finished behind Manchester City in the standings.