“He did himself no favors” - Darren Bent highlights why Mikel Arteta should drop 23-year-old star for blockbuster Manchester City clash

Former-footballer-turned pundit Darren Bent has urged Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta not to start Gabriel Martinelli when they play Manchester City on Sunday (September 22). Bent opined that Martinelli lacks confidence, is too anxious, and isn’t worth appearing in the Gunners starting XI against Manchester City. He feels that new signing Raheem Sterling should start on the left flank ahead of the Brazilian winger instead.

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal will face Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in a much-anticipated clash at the Etihad as they sit in second and first place on the Premier League table, respectively. Prior to the clash with Manchester City, Arsenal traveled to Bergamo to play Atalanta in their 2024-25 Champions League opener.

While Mikel Arteta’s men struggled to lay a glove on Gian Piero Gasperini’s men in the UCL clash on Thursday (September 19), most of their chances fell to Martinelli, who couldn’t convert. In short, he failed to impress in the game and has now gone 17 games without scoring a goal or registering an assist for the Gunners. This seemingly dip in form has, however, not gone unnoticed to Darren Bent.

Speaking to talkSPORT, the former Tottenham man said:

''Martinelli did himself no favors last night [against Atalanta]. He can play Jesus out there but he looks lacking. I think that’s the only place or position where you go, ‘if he picks Martinelli fair enough, if he picks Sterling you go fair enough’. I’m going Sterling.

''Martinelli right now, I think he got six goals last season, 15 the year before, even his decision making, did you see his chance? Even when he went through on goal, it was one of them where he just rushed everything, wrong technique. A lack of confidence, he’s almost too anxious to get in there, but once he gets in there usually we see him go ice cold."

Former Arsenal defender says Gabriel Martinelli’s position is ‘’in question’’ ahead of Manchester City clash

Apart from Darren Bent, fellow football pundit Martin Keown also gave his assessment of Gabriel Martinelli’s current form. The former Arsenal defender is doubtful about Martinelli’s likelihood to play against Manchester City because he lacks composure but thinks Mikel Arteta will still play him regardless. He told TNT Sports:

''Although maybe Martinelli’s position is in question, in front of goal he needs a little bit more composure, but I think the manager will stick with him."

He added:

''It’s a learning process, you have to go through that and learn as a group and you draw off one another, you look around the dressing room. We were just chatting there to Declan [Rice] about Martinelli – no goal in 17 games now. Is he going to spread that love, that leadership you need?"