Carabao Cup: Third Round

ARSENAL 5 (Martinelli 31, 90+2, Holding 71, Willock 77, Nelson 84)
NOTTINGHAM FOREST 0

UNAI Emery heaped praised on “fighter” Gabriel Martinelli after the young Brazilian striker marked his first competitive start for Arsenal with a brace of goals in Tuesday night’s 5-0 Carabao Cup victory against Championship side Nottingham Forest.

Martinelli, who signed for just £6m from little known Brazilian club Ituano, was Emery’s first summer signing. And while Gunners fans might have been wondering who he was, they certainly know a lot more about the 18-year-old forward now.

“He’s hungry to have that opportunity to help us,” said Arsenal head coach Emery. “He is a fighter, and wants to help the team. He is very humble and has a good spirit. I told him to have some patience for his opportunity will come. He did that. He deserved his performance.”

Martinelli opened the scoring at the Emirates Stadium on 31 minutes when he headed in from close range following a first time volleyed cross from Calum Chambers. His second came in injury time at the end of the match when he skipped past one challenge before unleashing a belter of a shot into the top corner.

It was a stunning strike that put a gloss on the scoreline of a rather ordinary match which Arsenal totally dominated. Forest defended resolutely until the last 20 minutes, but when they tired the floodgates opened.

Rob Holding marked his return from a 10-month injury layoff with Arsenal’s second goal, heading home a Reiss Nelson corner in the 71st minute.

Kieran Tierney made his long-waited debut following his summer move from Celtic after recovering from a groin injury. The left-back put in a solid display full of surging runs and pinpoint passes, and went off to a standing ovation in the 77th minute.

An even bigger ovation came for Tierney’s replacement, Hector Bellerin – another returnee from a long-term injury. Bellerin’s contribution was immediate with a pass for Joe Willock to score Arsenal’s third.

“I am relieved that Bellerin is back,” added Emery. “He has a great attitude, and has a strong mentality. He wanted to start the match, but we decided to give him some minutes from the bench.”

Nelson made it 4-0 on 84 minutes, but the Gunners – and Martinelli – weren’t finished, with that pearl of a goal deep into added time.

ARSENAL: Martinez; Holding, Mustafi, Chambers, Tierney (Bellerin, 77); Torreira; Willock; Smith-Rowe (Saka, 46), Ozil (Ceballos, 71), Nelson; Martinelli
Substitutes not used: Macey, Balogun, Bola, Burton

NOTTINGHAM FOREST: Muric; Cash, Figueiredo, Rodriguez, Robinson; Lolley (Gabriel, 81), Johnson, Silva, Carvalho (Ameobi, 59), Ribeiro (Mighten, 78); Adomah
Substitutes not used: Smith, Milosevic, Grabban, Sow

Attendance: 53,160