There were times last season when Mikel Arteta, in Arsenal’s second consecutive title race, would look to a depleted bench in hard times and options would be found lacking. Gabriel Martinelli was voted Arsenal’s player of the month for September because of two standout moments. It took the 24-year-old just 37 seconds to come off the bench and score the opener against Athletic Club in the Champions League, and he then provided the assist for the goal by Leandro Trossard – another of Arsenal’s ‘finishers’ – that sealed the 2-0 victory.