Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli spoke to Sky Sports after the 3-2 win over Liverpool this evening.
Here’s what they had to say.
Beating Liverpool more significant than going top?
Martinelli: It means a lot to us. We have been working hard and we deserved the win, and we need to keep going. The season is long and we want to achieve good things.
Saka: The last two or three years Liverpool are a team we’ve struggled against, to win today in front of our fans is special. It shows how much we’re progressing, we just want to continue to put in performances like this.
More belief to beat Liverpool?
Saka: Yeah, it gives us more confidence because they’re a fantastic team, and we have a lot of respect for them, so … yeah.
What was key?
Martinelli: I think the spirit. We are running for each other. And as I said a lot of times we are a family, and everyone is on their toes and we deserved the win.
Was it a perfect start for you?
Martinelli: *laughs* – Yeah, I think so! As I said we’re so happy with the win, and with a goal and an assist I’m happy as well.
Bukayo – timing of your goal was crucial?
Saka: Yeah, definitely. I thought we deserved the lead at half-time and to get that goal was crucial. I’m very happy with that.
You’re now the second youngest Arsenal player to get to 20 PL games since Nicolas Anelka.
Saka: Wow, some achievement. I want to score more now.
Talk to me about the youth? Are you a band of brothers?
Martinelli: It’s the character of everyone, it doesn’t matter what your age is. It’s about your heart and what you want to achieve in life and football. That’s the point. Everyone likes to win and that’s the most important thing.
On the penalty and having to wait …
Saka: I’ve been practising, all the time. We practice. I don’t know what was going on with the fighting, if they were trying to get in my head, but I knew what I was going to do in my mind, and stuck with it.
Can you stay top?
Martinelli: We need to believe. We need to go game by game, trying to win them, that has to be our mentality.
We need to believe Gabriel. We have to believe. We believe son.
We would be out of sight against any other opponents with this kind of performance! Only Liverpool has this mental block against us and that’s why we let them back twice and the game wasn’t over until the last minute. Hopefully this win finally frees us from that mental block! Won fair and square!
Yeah, dreams do come through. We dare to dream.
Bravo to Arteta and Tomy for a job well done.
I had my doubts but you guys proved once again that u are d real deal.
COYG
Tomiyasu was absolutely immense today as was Ben White to be fair.
White was brilliant .. doesn’t get the recognition. Surely a better bet for England than TAA.
After that performance…gotta be. White contributing in all phases, while TAA fakes an injury so he can be subbed at half and stop getting roasted by Gabi.
Shirley better than Maguire and Shaw.
Yeah Shirley is most likely better than them. She’s not even a pro footballer!
Very exciting times. Been waiting quite some time 🙌🏼
COYG
but I knew what I was going to do in my mind, and stuck with it.
🙂 what a lad!
That was fun
Another mid-table scalp: we have to admit that the fixture list has been very kind to us.
You mean playing tot’ham, Liverpool band and expecting Man City?
hahahahaha – fuck yea. Mid-fucking-table! hahahahahaha!
Immense. Well done you 2 take a bow & enjoy the moment.
I’m so happy! All I could think of during the match is when arteta once said, wait until it goes bang. It’s gone bang!
Great win! I’d also like to see Tomiyasu playing left centre back. So accomplished on the ball and so good defensively, yet to really see him make a mistake compared to Gabriel who looks slightly uncertain and always a mistake in him as much as he has improved since we got him from lille
Wow. Just wow. What a performance. We wanted it more and we deserved the win. Very proud of everyone.
Tie each of them down to as long a contract as possible.
“It’s about your heart and what you want to achieve in life and football…”. This mentality is what Mikel has instilled in this group and it traces back to the values of Arsene and even Georgie Graham before him.
It. Is. Elite.
Love the comment but a lot of it is also Arteta himself and his upbringing.
Absolutely.
“You’re now the second youngest Arsenal player to get to 20 PL games since Nicolas Anelka.”
Goals, not games.
Martinelli has a bulldozer mentality. He just bullies through the paths. A mentality that doesn’t see obstacles.
The only thing that comes close this weekend is Tony staying in Strictly! COYG
Well done Gabi & B. These kids will go far.