Mikel Arteta wanted a reaction from his Arsenal side after losing to Liverpool last week and, in the end, he got it.
After the first 45 minutes here at Emirates Stadium against Newcastle, you were to beginning to wonder if he would – as Arsenal looked slightly off the pace and the visitors sat deep to frustrate them.
Captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also somehow hit the post from three yards out and Newcastle may have been thinking this was the day they’d finally get their first win of the season.
Arsenal, however, went through the gears in the second-half as Arteta got the reaction from that Anfield defeat that he was craving.
And, fittingly, at the heart of it were Albert Sambi Lokonga and Nuno Tavares, two players who really struggled during that loss to Liverpool.
The forward’s fine work was rewarded in the end as Takehiro Tomiyasu played him in to score with 24 minutes to go.
It was an excellent finish too, with Martinelli volleying the ball home first time after the ball had been dinked through to him.
Arsenal, like all clubs, have a busy period coming up and Martinelli could have a vital role to play. He has certainly done his chances of more minutes no harm.
