Martin Keown suggests new position for Arsenal star after Club Brugge win

Martin Keown was on commentary duty for Club Brugge v Arsenal (Picture: Getty)

Martin Keown said Noni Madueke ‘put down a marker’ in Arsenal ’s Champions League win over Club Brugge.

The Premier League leaders maintained their perfect record in Europe with a 3-0 victory in Belgium on Wednesday night.

Mikel Arteta was without a number of first-team stars in Bruges , with Declan Rice , and Jurrien Timber joining the already absent William Saliba and Gabriel in missing the match.

But even a weakened Arsenal side was strong enough to defeat Club Brugge and all but secure their place in the top-eight of the Champions League.

Madueke’s stunning strike broke the deadlock out in Belgium and Keown heaped praise on Arteta’s summer signing after the brilliant goal.

‘That is a special, special goal,’ Keown said on TNT Sports . ‘The power he generates on the shot is quite remarkable.

‘He slowly explodes into this, drives on and that shot… there’s not a goalkeeper on the planet who stops that.

Noni Madueke scored for Arsenal at Club Brugge (Picture: Getty)

‘It’s a really well-struck strike. Wow. He’s like a bolt of electricity, Madueke. Two goalkeepers in there wouldn’t have saved that.

‘Madueke started the season quite well and then had that unfortunate injury. He’s come back in and put down a marker there.’

Keown also wondered whether, given Madueke’s quality, he could play in the same team as Bukayo Saka, rather than predominately being back-up to his England teammate.

Noni Madueke, take a bow! Arsenal take the lead thanks to one of the goals of the season so far from Madueke 🚀 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/LrjLdflgc6 — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 10, 2025

Madueke, a £50m signing from Chelsea , has only played on the left once for Arsenal but Keown has suggested he could move over more regularly to form the team’s ‘best XI’.

‘When you start looking forward and think about Arsenal’s best XI, you wonder if Madueke ends up on the left,’ Keown added.

‘Saka will likely stay on the right. We haven’t seen them available together much this season due to their injuries but that could be an option going forward.’

Arsenal are top of both the Premier League and Champions League (Picture: Getty)

Ex-England goalkeeper Joe Hart also heaped praise on Madueke and his ‘unbelievable goal’ at the half-time interval.

‘It’s an incredible goal, an unbelievable goal,’ Hart said. ‘We might not see a better goal in Europe tonight.

‘It’s been a bit fits and starts for Madueke at Arsenal but he fully justified his inclusion in the team tonight.’

Madueke scored again straight after half-time, this time with a simple header from Martin Zubimendi’s inviting cross.

Gabriel Martinelli added a third for the visitors, the Brazilian curling a superb shot into the top corner to become the first Arsenal player to score in five Champions League games in a row.

Arsenal, with a perfect 18 points from six Champions League games, face Inter Milan in their next European fixture before concluding the group phase against Kairat.

With that place in the knockout stages of the Champions League secured, Arsenal can focus on their Premier League title charge.

Arteta’s side, who lost 2-1 to Aston Villa on Saturday , will expect to return to winning ways this weekend when bottom-placed Wolves visit the Emirates Stadium.