Jurgen Klopp proven right once again as Arsenal star denies Pep Guardiola and Man City
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Jurgen Klopp once dubbed Gabriel Martinelli the "talent of the century", and the young Arsenal forward showed exactly why with his performance against Manchester City.
Martinelli struck a dramatic 93rd-minute equalizer against Pep Guardiola's team to give Liverpool a title boost, after Erling Haaland had given City the lead in the ninth minute.
The 24-year-old's decisive goal made Guardiola's defensive substitutions in the final quarter-hour look hasty, as Martinelli left the renowned coach appearing shell-shocked on the sideline.
This result worked perfectly for Liverpool's benefit, as it established a five-point advantage at the summit of the table.
Yet there is one individual who consistently championed the Brazilian's credentials as an elite talent - and it was actually a rival manager who delivered considerable success to Merseyside.
After an enthralling 5-5 League Cup clash between Liverpool and Arsenal in 2019 - which the Reds eventually claimed on penalties - Klopp particularly praised Martinelli's remarkable talent despite his young age.
Speaking about the then-18 year old, the German remarked: "Martinelli's pretty much the same age (as my young team), but he's a talent of the century
He's an incredible striker, so it's really difficult.
"He's really unbelievable
I didn't want to put any backpack [pressure] on his back with this thing but I just really like good football players and obviously he's a very good one."
Following that period, the Brazilian winger has netted 53 goals and registered 30 assists in 230 outings for the Gunners, securing an FA Cup and Community Shield victory.
At international level, the attacker possesses an Olympic gold medal with Brazil, which was earned in 2021 when he was merely 19 years old.
Martinelli has fallen down the pecking order to some extent at the Emirates Stadium of late, with players such as Ethan Nwaneri and Noni Madueke being favoured on the flanks instead of him.
Nevertheless, the substitute's astute finish beyond Donnarumma secured the draw for the Gunners, preserving their participation in the early title contest with Liverpool this season.
Boss Arteta lauded the 24 year old, stating: "We had very good momentum, and we needed to time that well.
"He's in a really good moment again after the game he had in Bilbao and that period of time probably he deserved more, but his energy again, his attitude was really good and that's why he made the impact that he made again for the team."
Discussing Martinelli's contribution following merely 13 minutes on the pitch, Arteta continued: "We want consistency on that, for every player that doesn't start the game to be able to do that, because you see how long the match is and the level that it requires to beat them, and we're very happy with him."