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      Arsenal’s Martinelli says he broke down in tears over Brazil call-up and hits back at claims his inclusion is a ‘joke’

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      GABRIEL MARTINELLI revealed how he sobbed at being called up for Brazil’s World Cup squad.The Arsenal forward added that club boss Mikel Arteta has told him to go and “smash it” in Qatar.
      Gabriel Martinelli has revealed his reaction to be called-up by Brazil for the World CupCredit: Getty
      Martinelli, 21, who has only three international caps and is off to his first major tournament, was left speechless by the big news that he was part of Tite’s Brazilian squad.
      He said: “I’m very happy, it’s one of the most important moments in my life and in my family’s life as well – I’m buzzing. I’m so excited to go there and be part of this team.
      “I cried a lot, I couldn’t even talk and I was with my family and on the phone but I needed to turn the phone off and call them later because I couldn’t even talk.
      “I think it will be good for my career and to play in the World Cup will be amazing.
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      “I’m so excited to go there and I’m prepared for the challenge and and I hope we will win it.”
      Martinelli has been a driving force in Arsenal’s dramatic resurgence this season and is earning rave reviews from boss Arteta.
      Martinelli said: “I think my Arsenal form has been so important because if I’m not playing good at Arsenal I cannot be called up and that’s why I’m there because I’m doing well with the club.
      “When I talked to Mikel, he was so happy for me, said congratulations, and said go there and smash it.”
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      Meanwhile, Martinelli’s inclusion was branded “a joke” and a “lack of respect for football” by ex-Brazil star Neto after Copa Libertadores winner Gabigol was one of those overlooked.
      But Martinelli, who has played a key role in Arsenal’s rise to the top of the Premier League, hit back.
      He said: “I think this is normal. Some people in Brazil don’t know me and it’s also normal to say that other players deserved to be there. But I’m pretty cool about it. I think this is normal.
      “I know what I’m doing at my club, I know my ability and I know what I can do.
      “And you can be sure that I will do my best for the Brazilian team, in whatever I can help the team I will help. It will be a great experience for me.”
      Brazil begin their quest for World Cup glory with a Group G clash against Serbia on November 24.
      They then take on Switzerland four days later before facing Cameroon in their final group game on December 2. More

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      Arsenal ‘make £52.2m offer for Mykhaylo Mudryk as Mikel Arteta targets January signings’ to fight for Prem title

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      ARSENAL have launched a £52.2million bid for Shakhtar Donetsk wonderkid Mykhaylo Mudryk, according to reports.The Gunners splashed over £100million on new recruits in the summer, bringing in the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Fabio Vieira.
      Mykhaylo Mudryk has impressed for Shakhtar Donetsk this seasonCredit: Getty
      With Mikel Arteta’s side surprisingly finding themselves in a title race, however, technical director Edu is eager to strengthen Arsenal’s squad even further.
      SunSport exclusively revealed last month that Gunners are chiefs are willing to inject £50m into the transfer kitty for the January transfer window.
      We also told you that Ukrainian ace Mudryk, 21, is among the players on Arsenal’s mid-season wishlist.
      And according to Italian reporter Mirko Di Natale, the Gunners have now made a formal bid.
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      He claims that Arsenal have made a £52.2m offer for the winger, with Shakhtar yet to respond.
      Mudryk has excelled both domestically and in Europe this term.
      He has scored eight goals and assisted a further seven in all competitions for his club.
      Three of his goals have come in the Champions League – including one on British soil against Celtic.
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      He has also swiftly become a key man for his country, earning eight caps for Ukraine.
      Arsenal are eager to strengthen in the wide areas.
      The Gunners held a strong interest in Wolves ace Pedro Neto after letting Nicolas Pepe leave on loan in August.
      A deal failed to materialise, however, with Arteta heavily reliant on Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli this term.
      The duo have been backed up by Vieira, Reiss Nelson and Marquinhos – with the latter reportedly set to be sent out on loan.
      Emile Smith Rowe, meanwhile has been sidelined by a groin injury. More

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      ‘They crumble at the end’ – Man Utd legend Gary Neville says high-flying Arsenal will flop in title race

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      GARY NEVILLE has savaged Arsenal’s title hopes by predicting they will ‘crumble’ and finish well behind Manchester City.The Gunners are leading the way at the top of the table but that’s not stopped people from doubting their credentials.
      Gary Neville does not think Arsenal will be challenging for the Premier League title at the end of the season.Credit: PA
      Mikel Arteta’s side are currently two points clear of Manchester City in the race for the trophy but Neville can’t see them challenging the current holders all the way until the end.
      On The Overlap he said: “The only thing Arsenal have proven in the last few years is that they crumble at the end of the season, until I see that they don’t, I’ll still have that doubt. Why would I not?
      “Manchester City will win the Premier League by 10-15 points this season.
      “I’ve seen it before when you’ve got a team that’s so exceptional, we had that a few times with Manchester United when I was playing, where you just know a team just hasn’t got it in them to go all the way to challenge the top team.
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      “If Arsenal do that, it will be unbelievable, and I want City to be pushed, but it won’t happen.’
      Neville will be referencing Arsenal’s collapse from last season which saw them lose out on Champions League football as they lost seven of their last 12 matches.
      However, so far this season the Gunners have looked a lot more resilient.
      The North London side have won 11 of their 13 Premier League fixtures this term, drawing one and losing one.
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      Amongst the wins, Arsenal have earned impressive results against Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham.
      Although these wins have not filled Neville with the confidence that they will continue to lead the way at the top of the table.
      He added: “I watched the first half of the Chelsea and Arsenal game – I didn’t see much of the second half, but Arsenal’s first-half display was fantastic.
      “The authority they had on the game, they looked by far the better team and it was a proper performance from Arsenal.
      “I saw Manchester United at Stamford Bridge a couple of weeks ago and they were nothing like that.
      “Chelsea aren’t in the strongest of moments, but Arsenal are doing everything right in this moment of time.
      “Last season we had our reservations about Mikel Arteta, but we wanted to be proved wrong because I like the manager and his style of football.
      “We have 25 matches left in the season, with the massive disruption of the World Cup, but I do see Arsenal getting in the top four this season.
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      “If Arsenal lose a couple of games and the teams below you win those games, the pressure now ramps up and that is when we’ll find out if Arsenal can handle the pressure.
      “The big moment will come in February and March where we will see what Arsenal are made of.”
      Arsenal are hoping to win their first Premier League title since 2003.Credit: Getty More

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      Top 10 fastest players in the Champions League revealed… and Arsenal star surprisingly makes the list

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      THE ten fastest players in this season’s Champions League have been revealed with an Arsenal star among them – despite the Gunners not even being in the competition.The group stage of Europe’s elite club competition wrapped up last week – with a number of big clubs failing to make the last 16.
      The fastest players in the group stages of the Champions League have been revealedCredit: Rex
      Shakhtar Donetsk’s Mykhaylo Mudryk topped the list with a top speed of 36.6kmhCredit: REUTERS
      Uefa’s statisticians kept tabs on all the players throughout the group stage, monitoring their speed and distance covered.
      A number of well-known speedsters, unsurprisingly, made the top ten.
      But an unfamiliar name stunned footy fans by finishing joint top of the speed rankings – which were judged by kilometres per hour.
      Shakthar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk – who has courted interest from a number of clubs, including Arsenal – topped the list with a top speed of 36.6kmh.
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      Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele also clocked the same speed but came in second place.
      AC Milan and Real Madrid aces Rafael Leao and Federico Valverde claimed third and fourth place with speeds of 36.5 and 36.3kmh respectively.
      Gunners star Nuno Tavares – who is on loan at Marseille – was the fifth-fastest player in the group stage with a speed of 36.2kmh.
      Alphonso Davies, Karim Adeyemi and Moussa were the sixth, seventh and eighth fastest in the group stages – racking up respective speeds of 36.2 and 36.1kmh.

      Arsenal star Nuno Tavares – who is on loan at Marseille – came in at No.5 on the listCredit: GETTY
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      Benfica and AC Milan stars Rafael Silva and Theo Hernandez closed out the top ten with speeds of 35.9 and 35.7kmh respectively.
      Mudryk’s placing atop the list of speedsters set Arsenal fans’ chins wagging, with one saying: “Never seen a game in which Mudryk has played in but every time I see something related with this year’s UCL his name pops up.
      “So, fair to assume he’s the next big thing.”
      Another said: “I’ve had my eye on Mudryk for a while (Madrid plays Waxtap every year and sounds like Modric).
      “He seems destined for a bigger team, the guy plays with intensity.”
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      And another said: “Seeing Mudryk’s name quite frequently these days.”
      One remarked: “Mudryk to [Kylian] Mbappe: Look at me, i’m the captain now!” More

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      Arsenal hold ‘positive talks’ with wonderkid Mykhaylo Mudryk… but Shakhtar Donetsk want £65MILLION

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      ARSENAL have reportedly upped their game in the pursuit of wonderkid Mykhaylo Mudryk.Mudryk, 21, has been linked with The Gunners for some time now.
      Mykhaylo Mudryk has been heavily linked with a transfer to ArsenalCredit: Getty
      And it now seems Arsenal are stepping up the chase for him after holding talks with the Ukrainian winger, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.
      Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano said: “We know they (Arsenal) wanted a winger. Raphinha was the dream, but it was not possible to proceed.
      “They have had very positive contacts on Mudryk on the player’s side, but then they decided not to proceed with Shakhtar because they wanted more than £40m to £45m.
      “Now Shakhtar want more than £60m to £65m. But Arsenal are still following the player.
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      “They consider Mudryk a top talent and so Arsenal are still there but let’s see because now the race is open with many top clubs, but Arsenal will be busy in the next few weeks.”
      SunSport understands The Gunners are planning a trio of transfers in the January transfer window, with Mudryk, Yeremy Pino and Palmeiras star Danilo all lined up.
      Mudryk has been in terrific form for his club side this season, with his Champions League performances in particular grabbing the attention of viewers.
      The Shakhtar Donetsk ace has seven goals and seven assists in 14 games this season.
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      This includes three goals and two assists in the Champions League group stages as his club came third in their group.
      But following their elimination from the group stages they have been offered a European lifeline in the Europa League round of 32 play-off against Rennes.
      Other clubs who shared the same fate were not so lucky however, with Barcelona facing a nightmare draw against Manchester United. More

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      Arsenal considering loaning out wonderkid Marquinhos as Arteta eyes January transfer swoops for Torres and Mudryk

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      ARSENAL are considering loaning out Marquinhos in January, according to reports.The teenager made the £3m switch to north London from Sao Paulo in the summer window.
      Marquinhos scored his first Arsenal goal against FC Zurich in the Europa LeagueCredit: Reuters
      Marquinhos has feature once in the league and has often played with the U23sCredit: Getty
      But the 19-year-old has been restricted to just a handful of appearances, with only one coming in the league.
      Marquinhos featured in Arsenal’s first three Europa League games and marked his debut with a goal and an assist in the victory over FC Zurich.
      However, when Mikel Arteta’s side reached the crunch stages of the group, the winger hardly had a look in.
      Instead, he was demoted down to playing with the U23s.
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      He proved himself as far too good for that level with four goals and two assists in less than 400 minutes of action.
      Marquinhos will be hoping for minutes when Arsenal host Brighton in the Carabao Cup tomorrow.
      But the Evening Standard claim the Premier League leaders thinking about his future ahead of January.
      The report claims Arsenal are weighing up whether to keep him around the first-team squad or loan him out to increase his chances of regular action.
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      Arteta is already short in the wide areas after Nicolas Pepe was allowed to join Nice on loan in the summer, while Emile Smith Rowe is out injured.
      Therefore, the Gunners are plotting winter moves for Orlando City man Facundo Torres and Shakhtar Donetsk star Mykhaylo Mudryk.
      Mudryk in particular has caught the eye this term, registering 14 goal contributions in 14 games, five of which came in the Champions League. More

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      Shay Given on why Arsenal can win title, Haaland will break Shearer record and Howe can lead Newcastle to Prem glory

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      MANCHESTER CITY hero Shay Given insists Arsenal can’t be ruled out of the Premier League title hunt.The Gunners are flying high in the table with two points separating them from second-placed City thanks to a remarkable consistency that has seen them win 11 out of their first 13 matches.
      Shay Given insists Arsenal can’t be ruled out of the Premier League title raceCredit: Getty
      Given, 46, believes the North Londoners’ decision to give “complete control” to manager Mikel Arteta is a main reason behind the club’s stunning comeback after a turbulent campaign last season.
      The legendary goalkeeper also argued that Arteta has learned a lot from City boss and mentor Pep Guardiola, with whom he worked at the Etihad for three years before joining Arsenal in 2019.
      The former Ireland international added that the signings of two proven winners in Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko from his previous club have proven to be a major difference maker.
      Speaking to Mega Casino, Given said when asked if Arsenal can win the title: “I hope not. Arsenal are top of the league at the moment and I think people think that it is a foregone conclusion that City will climb above them at some stage.
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      “I think that Arteta has done a phenomenal job at Arsenal and you also need to praise the ownership at the club for sticking by him. Twelve months ago he was under a lot of pressure, he had the [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang issues to resolve.
      “I think the club has given him complete control and he has shown himself to be a fantastic leader and manager. He obviously learned from Pep, the best in the world, and now Arsenal and Arteta are getting their rewards.
      “There is a real togetherness on and off the pitch between the players and the fans, they are right behind their team and the Emirates has turned into a fortress for them. You can’t rule Arsenal out. They are definitely in for the title now.
      “Signing Jesus and Zinchenko was a brilliant move from Arteta, and I think Pep did him a favour on the transfer fees for both of them. Two Premier League winners coming into the team, that would have helped this young Arsenal side too.”
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      But Given still appears to like City’s chances as he has high hopes of star signing Erling Haaland, who has already registered a staggering 18 goals in 12 Premier League matches.
      The Newcastle great is so impressed with Haaland he expects him to break every record, including that of Alan Shearer’s historic 260 Prem goals, and could even lead the Citizens to Champions League glory.
      Given added: “We obviously knew all about Haaland’s record before he came to the Premier League, and I think people dismissed the fact that he would keep scoring at the rate he has done in Germany in England.
      “To do what he has done in his first few months in the Premier League is unbelievable. The records that he has already broken in the Premier League tell you that he is the real deal.
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      Shay Given expects Manchester City star Erling Haaland to break Alan Shearer’s recordCredit: Getty
      “I’ve been going to a lot of the City games this season because I live in Manchester and when he came off the bench on Saturday [against Fulham], you could feel the anticipation for him from the crowd.
      “In 20 minutes he had one disallowed and three or four chances before he scored the last minute penalty. The opposition were worried about him. He has that fear factor about him and he is hungry for goals.
      “People say he doesn’t get involved in the build-up, but he doesn’t need to; he just needs to be in the right place at the right time.
      “He is an absolute superstar and I think he will break every record in the Premier League, not just Shearer’s. I think he could be the missing pieces of the puzzle for the Champions League too.”
      Given spent nine years with Shearer at Newcastle and sees plenty of similarities between him and Haaland as they are both “so clinical”.
      The Irish legend said: “They are both so clinical. When a chance presents itself to these guys, a calmness comes over them and you know that they will score. They were born to score goals.
      Shay Given believes Newcastle could win the Premier League under Eddie HoweCredit: Getty
      “Both players have the killer instinct. Their movement is incredible and they put themselves into areas where they have the best possible chance of scoring a goal. They were both born to score goals.”
      Given also likes Newcastle’s chances under Eddie Howe as he claims he is the right man to soon lead the club to its first title since 1927 amid an impressive season that has seen the Toon climb up to third place.
      The former goalkeeper is surprised by the Magpies’ progress as he didn’t expect the former relegation strugglers to challenge for a top-four finish so soon after last year’s Saudi-led takeover.
      Given said: “Why can’t he win the title with the club? When he first got the job, people were saying that he would be a short term option.
      “I think many people expected him to steady the ship for a season or two because Newcastle were in big trouble when he went in there, but he’s done that and more.
      “I think the board will be thinking that they have the right guy in charge and that he should lead the club on this journey for a number of years. Newcastle need to take things step by step.
      Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta could lead the Gunners to Premier League gloryCredit: PA
      “If Newcastle can finish in the Champions League places this season it would be a phenomenal achievement and the next step on from that would be to challenge for the Premier League title.
      “The owners probably didn’t expect to be challenging for the top four so quickly. I think they would have considered a top half finish a step in the right direction.
      “Somebody asked me at the start of the season if Newcastle could finish in the top four. At the time, I thought it was too soon and it still might be, but as every game goes by and the results keep coming it is hard not to get carried away because they are playing so well and the city is rocking again.
      “They need to keep the momentum going and see where they end up. It will be interesting to see what happens in January. Will they bring in a couple more to help push them towards the top of the table?
      “I think it is a real opportunity for them to do that. If Eddie wants a little bit more quality in certain areas of the team and they can do that, the owners will do it.” More

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      Watch Neymar’s shock reaction to Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli making Brazil World Cup squad ahead of Rberto Firmino

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      NEYMAR was seemingly left stunned by Gabriel Martinelli’s inclusion in Brazil’s World Cup squad.The Arsenal hitman – who has been a shining light in Mikel Arteta’s side over the last two seasons – was selected in Tite’s 26-man squad for Qatar 2022 on Monday.
      Gabriel Martinelli’s form for Arsenal has earned him a spot in Brazil’s World Cup squadCredit: GETTY
      Neymar looked surprised to hear of Gabriel Martinelli’s inclusion in the squad
      Neymar watched the squad announcement with his two childrenCredit: @neymarjr
      And although his inclusion in the squad didn’t come as a surprise to fans of the Premier League, it appeared to be a massive shock to Neymar.
      The Paris Saint-Germain ace hitman seemingly raised his eyebrows in disbelief after hearing Martinelli’s inclusion – at the expense of Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino – in the squad before his own name was announced on Brazilian TV.
      Footage of his reaction quickly went viral and became the talk of social media, with one footy fan saying: “The reaction to Martinelli.
      “I would love to see Gabi finding out he made it.”
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      Another said: “Nelli’s coming for his spot soon, that’s why.”
      And another said: “Neymar hearing Martinelli’s before his name made him shook.”
      One remarked: “He knows he needs to up his game or else Martinelli is gonna bench him.”
      Another chimed in: “Neymar thought his spot was in danger for a moment.”
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      Gunners star Martinelli is part of the 11-man Premier League contingent of Brazil’s squad for Qatar 2022.
      Manchester United trio Antony, Casemiro and Fred have all made the cut – despite the Red Devils’ inconsistent season.
      Chelsea centre-back Thiago Silva will be one of the oldest outfield players in the tournament at the age of 38 following his selection.
      Liverpool duo Fabinho and Alisson have also been called up to the squad – as well as Arsenal and Tottenham stars Gabriel Jesus and Richarlison.
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      Newcastle and West Ham stars Bruno Guimaraes and Lucas Paqueta have also made the final squad for the tournament – as well as former Leeds ace Rafinha.
      But there was no room in Tite’s squad for Firmino or Gabriel Magalhaes, both of whom have enjoyed strong seasons with Liverpool and Arsenal respectively. More