“Madueke Delivered Pure Magic” – Arteta Praises Rising Arsenal Star
Mikel Arteta says Noni Madueke produced a moment of pure magic in Arsenal’s 3-0 victory over Club Brugge, a win that pushes the Premier League side to the edge of the Champions League knockout rounds and intensifies the competition for places in his attack.
The Arsenal manager highlighted the winger’s extraordinary quality after a two-goal performance that lifted the team to a perfect six wins from six in Europe and raised fresh questions about how the front line should be configured going forward.
Arsenal arrived in Belgium without eight injured players and still managed to extend their flawless Champions League record. The Premier League side joined Manchester United, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester City as the only English clubs to ever start a European Cup campaign with six straight wins. They now sit six points clear of ninth-placed Liverpool in the overall table and carry a goal difference advantage of 13.
Madueke set the tone after 27 minutes with a stunning first-time strike that arrowed beyond the Brugge goalkeeper. His second goal arrived less than two minutes after the restart when he reacted quickest to head into an empty net. The night became even more comfortable for Arsenal ten minutes later when Gabriel Martinelli curled in a superb third.
Many supporters questioned the £50 million signing from Chelsea, but the 22 year old has quickly silenced doubts. His brace follows the goal he scored during the 3-1 win over Bayern Munich two weeks earlier and has further strengthened his claim for a permanent place in the starting eleven.
Arteta did not hide his admiration when reviewing the opener.
“It was an unbelievable goal,” he said. “When you talk about individual quality and individual action and magic moments, that is it. For a player to pick the ball from that distance, dribble past people and finish with that level of power and precision shows what he can do. At this level you need players who can step up and provide something different. I am very happy because now we have some of our front line back and you can feel the difference.”
Bukayo Saka remains the preferred option on the right wing, but Madueke’s form has created a genuine selection debate. Asked whether the new signing is now undroppable, Arteta was careful to shift the conversation toward long-term standards rather than short-term impact.
“It’s about consistency,” he explained. “It is not about one game or two or three. You have to do it ten games in a row, every three days. That is the level we need to reach. That is his challenge.”
The evening also marked the emotional return of Gabriel Jesus, who replaced Viktor Gyökeres on the hour. The Brazilian has not played a competitive match since suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament on January 12, a setback that kept him out for 332 days. Jesus nearly capped his comeback with a goal, only for his right-footed effort to crash against the post.
Arteta described the striker’s road back to fitness as exhausting and admired the resilience that carried him through almost a full year of rehabilitation.
“It has been a very difficult and long journey for Gabi,” he said. “For eleven months he has been fighting through another serious injury. To see him return with that energy and that smile and then play with the quality he showed in his first match back is impressive. We are all delighted for him and you can see how much we love him. If he keeps performing like that, he will add something important to the team.”
Arsenal’s perfect European start has strengthened belief around the squad, sharpened internal competition and reignited confidence in a squad that had been stretched by injuries. The question now is whether Arteta can maintain balance in the front line as Madueke’s rise, Saka’s consistency and Jesus’ return converge at a critical stage of the season.
One thing is certain. If Madueke continues producing the kind of moments Arteta calls magic, the selection dilemma will only grow louder.