Arsenal: How crucial Mikel Arteta tweak helped Gabriel Martinelli recapture best form

Back among the goals, back in the Brazil squad and back looking like himself, the weekend felt like a turning point for Gabriel Martinelli.

The winger has been going through a difficult run of form, as shown by the fact that his goal against Leicester was his first for Arsenal since March.

Martinelli has struggled in that time and during the closing stages of the title race last season he lost his place to Leandro Trossard.

The Brazilian started just one of Arsenal’s final 10 Premier League games and that was on the last day of the season.

Arteta has stuck by Martinelli, though, and he has only been on the bench for one of Arsenal’s opening six league games this season.

The Arsenal manager’s faith has paid off and Martinelli grabbed himself a goal and an assist in Saturday’s 4-2 win over Leicester.

The 23-year-old took his goal really well too, finding the bottom corner with an excellent first-time finish after Jurrien Timber’s cross picked him out on the edge of the box.

Martinelli’s mood appeared to change after that and it was as if he grew in stature, the confidence suddenly back in his game.

The winger set up Leandro Trossard’s goal just before half-time and he repeatedly drove forward with the ball whenever he got the chance. No Arsenal player dribbled into Leicester’s penalty area more times than Martinelli.

“A goal, assist, probably two more chances he had, and he works every day in training on these type of chances, these runs, these finishes,” said Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice. “It was only a matter of time before he got back on the scoresheet, so I am delighted for him.”

A resurgent Martinelli would be a huge boost for Arsenal and during his difficult run of form it has been forgotten how potent a weapon he can be.

Two seasons ago, he was Arsenal’s top scorer as they fought for the title and there is no reason he cannot get back to that level.

Last year was a difficult campaign for Martinelli and part of that will have undoubtedly been down to Arsenal’s struggles at left-back.

The right flank was settled with Ben White, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard combining well, but the left was in a state of flux.

It took time for Rice to find his role following the departure of Granit Xhaka, while the left-back spot was unsettled. Jakub Kiwior, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu all had stints there, but none of them truly nailed it down.

Timber and Riccardo Calafiori appear to be vying for that spot now, with both performing well. Calafiori, in particular, has caught the eye in the past two games, especially going forward, and he could playing a big role in unlocking Martinelli.

A natural left-footer on his flank suits Martinelli, with the play being opened up to him instead of driven back inside.

Xhaka leaving starved Martinelli of that last season and it feels no coincidence that the winger’s best two games have come in the last two matches when Calafiori has played left-back.

The hope for Arsenal now is that Martinelli has turned a corner and his confidence should be high again.

The day before the win over Leicester, he found out he was back in the Brazil squad after being overlooked for the September internationals.

Just 24 hours later, Martinelli was showing why Brazil had recalled him and why Arteta has kept the faith, too.