Martin Keown thinks Marquinhos looks like a bit of a Serge Gnabry type, tipping the winger to follow in the footsteps of Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe at Arsenal.

Marquinhos made an impressive senior debut for Arsenal on Thursday, providing a goal and an assist to help the Gunners beat FC Zurich in their Europa League opener.

Former Gunner Martin Keown was certainly impressed with the performance, comparing Marquinhos to another ex-Arsenal man in Serge Gnabry, as he kept an eye on Arsenal live scores.

“He’s got a huge future ahead of him,” Keown said. “That’s a real opportunity now ahead of him.

“Bukayo Saka is only a couple of years older himself, but such is the quality he’s going to get chances. He looked a bit like a Gnabry-type player. He’s short, stocky, explosive pace.

“He looked very classy. He picked and chose his moments cleverly, whipped a couple of crosses in. Really good quality. He kept on producing.

“I think it’s great news. We’ve seen Saka, we’ve seen Smith Rowe in this very competition start their careers. I think we’re seeing another star here in the making.”

There are certainly some similarities between Marquinhos and Gnabry, based on his early appearances in North London at senior and academy level.

Marquinhos has plenty of goal threat and good strength on the ball for his size. He’s perhaps yet to show too much of the explosiveness Keown references, something which is much more central to Gnabry’s game.

Instead, Marquinhos often seems to opt to put crosses in or play quick short passes, making use of his movement off the ball rather than on it.

The teenager is still so young, he should develop his own mould as a player eventually.

That development is what the fans should look forward to as the season progresses, rather than expecting him to turn into the next Gnabry.