After they chanted his name throughout the FA Cup third-round win over Leeds on Monday night Gabriel Martinelli thanked Arsenal fans on social media.
A second-half goal from Reiss Nelson was enough to edge past Marcelo Bielsa’s side and seal a 1-0 win at the Emirates.
Leeds were impressive in the first half of the game and were unlucky not to score with their barbarous and slick passing to take care of.
But in the second half, the side of Mikel Arteta was enhanced and took the lead after Nelson scuffed a shot beyond goalkeeper Illan Meslier.
The Gunners missed chances to extend their lead together with substitute Martinelli going close with a curling effort and took charge, but Arsenal did their place in the fourth-round tie away.
Arteta admitted that he was unhappy with his side’s performance in the opening stages and revealed what he said to the players in the dressing room.
“I was not happy in any way,” he said.
“The initial 30-35 minutes, the way we began the game, how we approached the game. I attempted to convince them prior to the match with what to expect – they (Leeds) battered every group in the Championship every 3 days.
“The way they play makes it very hard and uncomfortable. What’s man-to-man across the pitch, so it becomes a transition game. What’s duels and 50/50s. You’ll get exposed if you’re not prepared for that game and get done. The next half was a different story.
“When I see exactly what I do not want to see – and I am not talking about technically or tactically – what I expect from these and the criteria that we want to set in some specific areas, I cannot be happy and I have to let them know.
“But I’m learning every day from them – how they react when they lose, what they need when they shed and what they want when they win also.
“Additionally, how they could respond when they wish to since before that, everybody said it was a physical matter. We could not sustain rhythm or intensity throughout the match, look the way they ended tonight.
“After 94 minutes they kept going and this is exactly what they have to know as a team.”
After recovering from a complaint that kept him from the games against Chelsea, Bournemouth and Manchester United the game was the very first appearance of Martinelli under new head coach Arteta.
The Brazilian has rapidly become a crowd favourite in northwest London and continues to impress in his first season in England.
Where he re-shared videos on his narrative after the game, Martinelli took to Instagram.
Many sung his title, with one set of fans singing a brand new chant that has gained popularity, especially among off fans, “Gabi, do do do, oh Martinelli.
“He comes in Sao Paolo, and he plays for Arsenal,” into the tune of sugar, Sugar’, by The Archies.
The Gunners forward wrote:’Thanks for the support,’ using an emoji that was praying.
