Football

Charlie Nicholas tells Mikel Arteta to drop Arsenal record signing Nicolas Pepe for Gabriel Martinelli


Mikel Arteta has been urged to drop Arsenal record signing Nicolas Pepe (Picture: Getty)

Charlie Nicholas believes Mikel Arteta should drop Arsenal record signing Nicolas Pepe for teenage sensation Gabriel Martinelli.

Pepe is beginning to find his feet at Arsenal following last summer’s £72million move from Lille and scored and made two assists in the 4-0 victory over Newcastle United two weeks ago.

Despite this, Arsenal hero Nicholas feels Pepe should make way for Martinelli, who failed to make the Gunners’ matchday squad for their Premier League clash against Everton on Sunday.

Looking ahead to Arsenal’s Europa League fixture against Olympiakos, Nicholas told Sky Sports: ‘I do not think this is a certain win for Arsenal.

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‘Mikel Arteta will sit and read into the fact that they let in two against Everton. Bernd Leno gets Arsenal out of a lot of holes but he did slip up for the second goal.

‘Joe Willock and Alexandre Lacazette will come in I think. You have to keep Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in for his goals. Will Nicolas Pepe get another run? Probably. Does he deserve it? Probably not. I would probably look at Gabriel Martinelli.

‘The game against Manchester City has been postponed as they are in the Carabao Cup final, which means Arsenal can go at it and get into the last 16.

‘You can still see the mess at the back, but Arteta will change things again. Sokratis Papastathopoulos may come in, while Hector Bellerin may drop out.

‘You have to play Bukayo Saka at the back. This side has got its attacking side back and got its mojo back in that respect. Arsenal 3-1 Olympiakos.’

Brazilian forward Martinelli is enjoying a breakthrough season at the Emirates, scoring ten goals in his 24 appearances for Arsenal.

MORE: Ian Wright hails Mikel Arteta for resurrecting Shkodran Mustafi’s Arsenal career

MORE: Thierry Henry reveals his Arsenal ‘dream’ and why he gets ‘tired’ watching Liverpool





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