Arsenal boss Arteta praises Martinelli and Saka: 'They always want more'

Both Arsenal forwards on target in 4-0 win that keeps Gunners top and Everton sliding further into relegation trouble

Arsenal's Bukayo Saka, left, scores the opening goal against Everton during the English Premier League match at Emirates Stadium, north London, March 1, 2023. Arsenal won the match 4-0. EPA

Arsenal's Bukayo Saka, centre, celebrates after scoring. AP Photo

Arsenal's Bukayo Saka waits to take a throw in as Everton manager Sean Dyche shouts instructions to this players. EPA

Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli, right, and Everton's goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. AP Photo

Gabriel Martinelli of Arsenal scores the team's fourth goal past Jordan Pickford of Everton. Getty Images

Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli celebrates scoring the team's fourth goal. AFP

Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli celebrates scoring the team's second goal with Granit Xhaka. AFP

Jordan Pickford of Everton reacts after Gabriel Martinelli of Arsenal scores the team's third goal. Getty Images

Martin Odegaard of Arsenal scores the team's third goal past Vitaliy Mykolenko, James Tarkowski and Jordan Pickford of Everton. Getty Images

Arsenal's Martin Odegaard reacts after scoring to make it 3-0 against Everton. EPA

Arsenal's Martin Odegaard in action with Everton's Abdoulaye Doucoure. Reuters

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta looks on. Reuters

Mikel Arteta said "good things will happen" when you have hungry players like Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka as the pair moved into double figures in the Premier League this season during Arsenal’s victory over Everton.

The Gunners were largely stymied by the visitors in the first half before Saka broke the deadlock five minutes before half time. However, the second half was all one way traffic as a Martinelli double and a Martin Odegaard goal sealed a 4-0 win at the Emirates.

Victory allowed Arsenal to re-establish their five-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the league and deepen the visitors’ relegation fears.

Martinelli and Saka in particular continued to develop the connection that supporters have enjoyed this season, with the forward pair the club’s joint-leading scorers in the all competitions on 11.

“We try to help them with our way of playing to get them in those positions as much as possible,” said Arteta. “They are so willing to learn, they’re asking for more and more every day.

“They never have enough information, they always want more. When you have that, and you have the talent and the ideas that they have, good things will happen.

“I’m really happy, it was the game we had in hand [over Manchester City], against an opponent we knew was going to make life really difficult. We experienced that at Goodison.

“We started with some frustration, not really understanding what we had to do. After 25 minutes we started to get much better.”

Arsenal v Everton ratings

Everton largely frustrated the hosts during the first half, with chances few and far between as Sean Dyche’s side showed the same dogged organisation that earned them their victory at Goodison Park last month.

It took a fine finish from Saka five minutes before half time to finally break the deadlock, before Martinelli added a second in added time following a defensive howler from Idrissa Gueye.

“The timing of the two goals was key, we needed a magic moment there,” said Arteta, adding he was "really pleased with the way the team is right now.”

Dyche has now seen his side lose three of their four games since victory over Arsenal in February to slide back into the relegation places.

“We were doing very well for 40 minutes,” said Dyche. “You have to keep it tight at places like this, work on the counter, finding the killer moments. That’s the story of the season so far.

“It was a soft [first] goal from our point of view. The back four just got cut open for the first time ... The second, as a manger it’s hard to legislate for. Once you’re 2-0 down at a place like this it’s very difficult. They showed why they’re top of the league in the second half. They’re a top side and they showed it.”