Mikel Arteta ready to put trust in Arsenal's Bukayo Saka replacement - 'He loves it!'
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Mikel Arteta says Gabriel Martinelli is relishing the prospect of stepping up to replace Bukayo Saka. Arsenal fear they will be without England winger Saka for the next two months. Saka tore a hamstring in Saturday's 5-1 win at Crystal Palace and that was a huge blow to the Gunners' title hopes. With Raheem Sterling also a long-term injury absentee, Arteta is set to turn to Martinelli for Friday's visit of struggling Ipswich.
The Brazil forward, 23, was switched from the left when Saka was hurt at Selhurst Park and ended the game with a goal and an assist. Gunners manager Arteta said: "Gabi loves it - you give him a challenge and he wants to do it today if he can. He’s a player that likes responsibility and likes having a bigger role.
"He had a big impact in the Palace game and like other players everybody is going to have to add something else because Bukayo, who we rely a lot on, is not going to be with us.". Arteta has been accused of over-playing Saka to the point of breakdown. But the Gunners boss insisted there had been no sign of that before Saturday.
He said: "When you look at his history in six years, it is incredible. It is very difficult to find a more robust player in the league, especially at his age when the load goes up. "Nobody knows. Maybe you think ‘I am doing everything perfect’ and ‘perfect’ is not what that muscle needs, that muscle needs something else that we cannot control.".
