Martinelli's awkward encounter with Aubameyang in Arsenal canteen

Gabriel Martinelli's task to deputise for Pierre-Emerick Aubaemyang was a tough one - but so far he has met the demands with ease.

The Brazilian has been the man to step in for the former Arsenal captain after it was decided he would be stripped of the armband.

After a stop-start beginning to the season, Martinelli is now one of the main men for the Gunners and has delivered, scoring four times and registering two assists in the last six games.

Still just 20, the young forward has come a long way in the two years since signing from Ituano, becoming an integral part of a young and flourishing dressing room.

It's a considerable distance from his first interaction with Aubameyang, which left the then 18-year-old awkward and star struck.

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"When I turned up it was lunchtime, and only Aubameyang was sat at the table," he recalled to FourFourTwo. "My first thought was, 'F***!'

"I sat next to him, a bit shy, but as Auba speaks Spanish, he struck up a conversation and asked where I was from. We had a nice chat.

"He had met a random guy from another country, but was so kind and wished me luck.

"After that, there were some pre-season assessments at the gym. All the players were there: [Mesut] Ozil, [Alexandre] Lacazette, Auba... but I couldn't speak a word of English. 'Oh my god' was my initial reaction."

No longer a shy teenager, Martinelli is helping to spearhead Arsenal's bid for a top-four finish and played a starring role in their latest win, a 4-1 victory over Leeds at Elland Road.

And speaking after the win, he heaped praise on Alexandre Lacazette, the man who has been captain for the last three Premier League wins.

"It was a very good result," Martinelli told Sky Sports. "It was away and so important for the team. We are happy with the work and result as well. This is what Mikel asks when we go in the final third to be dangerous.

"It's so good that he (Lacazette) tracks the centre-backs and and I get the chance to get in behind. It was a great pass from Granit, thanks to him too. It was two good goals.

"We have a young team but strong and very good player. You see today Emile came off the bench and scored."

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta heaped praise on Martinelli's character and claimed he is on the way to becoming a top player.

He said: "He's come a long, long way because his energy, his passion, his commitment, it doesn't get much better than that ever.

"But there are other aspects in the game that he's had to develop and maintain the ones that he's exceptional at, like today, because when he has chances he puts them away. Again, he's in the right direction."