Arteta claims Guimaraes is 'hitting serious levels' after Hull win
Mikel Arteta believes Bruno Guimaraes is “hitting serious levels” after Arsenal's 1-0 win over Hull City on Saturday, with the Brazilian delivering an impressive performance in just his fourth Premier League start since his £75 million move from Newcastle United.
Martin Odegaard's second half goal proved enough to seal the victory, which moves Arsenal six points clear at the top of the table after Manchester City's 3-1 defeat away to Nottingham Forest.
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Guimaraes lined up alongside Declan Rice at the heart of Arsenal's midfield and was singled out for praise by his manager after the final whistle.
Arteta's verdict on Guimaraes
“He's much better, he had a massive impact, he's hitting serious levels now, but we can still take him to another level,” Arteta said after the win over Hull City. “That's my conviction, I told him that in the dressing room, he owned a lot of moments in the game but there is still much more to come.”
The comments suggest Arteta sees plenty of room for growth from the Brazil international despite what was already a standout display. Guimaraes has had to be patient for regular Premier League minutes since his summer arrival, but his showing against Hull will likely strengthen the case for more starts alongside Rice.
Madueke also praised
Arteta also had words of praise for Noni Madueke, who again impressed on the right flank in the continued absence of Bukayo Saka.
“That's the second part of the story, the first is that you need to earn the right to be able to do that,” Arteta said. “Noni did that, he reacted to not playing often, went away, started to train and was a different Noni. He wasn't going to accept that situation, he meant business, and since then he has been incredible. Now you are in that position, he needs to hone and improve it, so let's see if he can do that.”
Madueke's response to a lack of game time earlier in the season has clearly caught his manager's attention, and he now appears to have made the right flank his own in Saka's absence.
What it means for Arsenal
With City stumbling at Forest, Arsenal's win over Hull has opened up a six point gap at the summit. Performances like Guimaraes' suggest Arteta now has genuine depth and quality to call upon in central midfield, even with Rice established as a first choice.
As reported by Metro, Arteta's praise for both Guimaraes and Madueke points to a squad building momentum at a crucial stage of the season. Arsenal will be looking to maintain that form and extend their lead at the top as the campaign continues.
