"Gives us more confidence to kick on" - Gabriel Martinelli speaks out after scoring Arsenal's match-winning goal against Manchester City

Gabriel Martinelli was Arsenal's hero in their 1-0 Premier League win against Manchester City on Sunday (8 October).

Before this encounter, the Brazil international missed Arsenal's past five games across competitions due to a hamstring injury. He was left out of the starting XI against the Cityzens but came on as a second-half substitute in place of Leandro Trossard.

Martinelli made all the difference, with his 86th-minute shot from the edge of the box sneaking into the net after a big deflection from Nathan Ake. The goal was enough to hand the Gunners their first league win against the Cityzens since December 2015.

Speaking after his match-winning display. the 22-year-old told Sky Sports, via BBC:

"I am not the man. I think everyone has a part in this victory. I scored the goal but it was the whole team and the staff and everyone. I am happy and the team is too... It gives more confidence [to us]. We know our potential and how tough it is to play against them. Today we beat them and it gives us more confidence to kick on."

The win means the Gunners will head into the international break second in the table with 20 points from eight matches. They trail league-leaders Tottenham Hotspur on goals scored and have a two-point lead over the defending champions.

Martinelli, meanwhile, registered his first goal this season in the win at the Emirates, which was also his first against Manchester City in eight matches.

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Mikel Arteta gives verdict on Gabriel Martinelli's display in Arsenal's win over Manchester City

Mikel Arteta revealed that Gabriel Martinelli's inclusion in Arsenal's matchday squad to face Manchester City wasn't guaranteed.

The Brazilian winger went off injured in the 24th minute of his team's 1-0 league win against Everton on 17 September. Speaking after his second win against Pep Guardiola this season, Arteta told BBC Match of the Day:

"Martinelli made a huge effort to be in the game, nobody believed he would [be] there. The medical staff were trembling but he was there and he was excellent."

Martinelli's return to action has seemingly come at the right time for the Gunners. Arteta confirmed after the game that Leandro Trossard's half-time substitution was due to the Belgian forward picking up an injury.

The Gunners nevertheless have two weeks before they play their next game, which is a league encounter against Chelsea on 21 October at Stamford Bridge. The Gunners have lost just once to the west London giants since the start of 2020.