Arsenal‘s title defence has been built on fine margins so far, and without the efforts of Gabriel Magalhaes, the outlook would be very different.
The Gunners are level with Manchester City on 21 points at the top of the Premier League table, winning seven and losing just one of their eight games.
Six of those seven victories have been decided by two goals or fewer, with four of them coming down to just a single goal.
The latest triumph was their 2-0 win at home to Everton on Saturday, and once again, Gabriel was in the thick of it.
Set-piece impact and possession platform
Arsenal’s effectiveness from set pieces in the Mikel Arteta era is no secret. It’s been the hallmark of their success under the Spaniard, and Gabriel has been the key driver behind that.
The Brazilian was at it once more at the Emirates on Saturday. First, he provided the flick-on that caused havoc in Jordan Pickford‘s box and eventually led to Ezri Konsa opening the scoring after just seven minutes. Then, in the 68th minute, Gabriel stayed forward as Arsenal recycled a corner, getting between some static Everton defenders and punishing the Toffees with a free header to settle the match.
Interestingly, whereas Gabriel has registered 15 direct goal involvements across all competitions over the last two seasons combined, this was his first of any description this campaign. However, his flick-on for Konsa’s opener, coupled with his 13 touches in the opposition box, and his ranking of fourth and second among Arsenal players for total shots (9) and headed shots (4), respectively, perfectly illustrates his sustained final-third impact.
What’s more, away from the opposition box, Gabriel continues to provide an unshakeable platform in possession.
The 28-year-old was second for touches (71) and line-breaking passes (11), and third for passes attempted (53) and passing accuracy (89%) against Everton on Saturday. That’s been a theme throughout this season, with Gabriel second among Gunners players in the Premier League for touches (587), and third for passes completed (412) and successful passes in the opposition half (176).
Leading the defence
For a player who is so effective at causing chaos in the opposition box, Gabriel is incredibly adept at shutting down attacks and keeping things calm at the other end.
With William Saliba yet to play this season and out until November with a back injury, the Brazilian has taken up the mantle of Arsenal’s defensive leader with incredible effect.
Gabriel was first among Arsenal players against Everton for clearances (8), interceptions (2) and tackles (3), while he was the only player on the pitch to execute a last-man tackle — making two across the 90 minutes. He also won four of his five contested ground duels.
Once again, Gabriel’s performance here has been the continuation of a theme. The ex-Lille centre-back tops the charts at the Emirates this season for tackles (11), interceptions (9), clearances (44) and possessions won in the defensive third (18), and second for aerial duels won (18).
Given how defensively active Gabriel has been, it’s remarkable that he’s made just one error leading to a shot in the Premier League this season, while he’s only been dribbled past by an opponent on three occasions.
Gabriel hits it off with Konsa in Saliba absence
Gabriel’s performance against Everton certainly caught the eye of Arsenal icon and three-time Premier League champion Martin Keown.
“Gabriel is into his sixth season at Arsenal now, and this guy is just a machine,” the 43-time England international told Match of the Day. “You rarely see a striker get the better of him. I’ve seen him mature a lot and become the leader at the back. He was immense again today. He just loves defending, and the fans just buzz off him. He’s a legend of the football club now.”
Keown also expressed his admiration for Konsa and described the duo as the best centre-back pairing in the Premier League.
There’s no doubt that Gabriel’s leadership has helped Konsa make a smooth transition following his summer arrival from Villa Park, and the pair are now looking just as capable of winning a title as the Gabriel-Saliba duo that has defined Arsenal’s backline in recent years.
As Arsenal navigate changing partnerships and nerve-shredding finishes, Gabriel’s ability to anchor the backline while remaining their most potent set-piece weapon ensures that narrow margins consistently swing in the champions’ favour.