Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has hailed Gabriel Martinelli as a ‘talent of the century’ after the Arsenal youngster’s performance in the club’s thrilling Carabao Cup tie.
The teenage forward signed for Arsenal from Brazilian side Ituano in the summer and has made a huge impression in his first appearances for the club, scoring seven times in seven appearances in all competitions.
Two of those goals came during Wednesday night’s pulsating 5-5 draw at Anfield, Liverpool advancing to the quarter-finals on penalties at the Gunners’ expense following a night of enthralling action on Merseyside.
Klopp handed opportunities to several of Liverpool’s best youngsters as he opted to rotate his side, including 17-year-old defender Sepp van den Berg who was making his first start since joining from PEC Zwolle in June.
18-year-old Gabriel Martinelli for Arsenal:
🔴 4 starts
🔴 7 goals pic.twitter.com/inKe1UQkF1— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 30, 2019
The Liverpool boss praised the teenager’s performance despite the high scoring encounter, though it was Martinelli’s two-goal haul and performance which seemed to have really impressed the German.
“Sepp van den Berg played an incredible game,” the Reds’ boss told Liverpoolfc.com.
“That’s really difficult to deal with these guys. Martinelli’s pretty much the same age but he’s a talent of the century, he’s an incredible striker, so it’s really difficult.
“Then you have Mesut Ozil around and Willock right, who scored by the way a really nice one, so a team like Arsenal in a counter-attacking mood – we keep them deep, play around them, we lose the ball and then it’s really difficult.”
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