Mikel Arteta watched Gabriel go down in obvious discomfort and began preparing a replacement. Soon afterwards the centre-half was back on his feet and, in the 68th minute, scoring in Arsenal's 2-0 win over Everton on his 200th appearance for the club. It is hard to script an afternoon with a bigger swing.
The scare in the second half
Earlier in the second half, Gabriel stayed down after stretching to make a clearance. Medical staff came on and Arteta had a substitute ready. Gabriel shook it off and insisted on continuing. "It was a really worrying action," Arteta told Match of the Day. "We know Gabi and how tough and strong he is - and he seems to be okay."
In his press conference he went further and used the moment to make a point about the team's attitude. "He is a clear example of when I talk about the mentality of the team," Arteta said. "We were all scared not only for the way he went down but for the reaction of the players that were next to him. Immediately he says he wants to continue and he scores the goal that helps us win the game."
How Arsenal won it
Ezri Konsa gave Arsenal the lead after only seven minutes, poking the ball home at the Emirates. Everton had chances to get back into the game, but Thierno Barry and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall both missed their best openings. Gabriel's goal 68 minutes in settled the result.
The win was Arsenal's third in a row in the Premier League and took them to 21 points, level with Manchester City at the top of the table. City had lost to Aston Villa earlier in the day, which made the three points more valuable.
Keown's verdict on Gabriel and Konsa
Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown went on Match of the Day and gave Gabriel the sort of praise reserved for long-serving players. "Gabriel is into his sixth season at Arsenal now and this guy is just a machine," Keown said. "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 called him a legend of the football club.
Keown also had a good word for Konsa, who joined Arsenal from Aston Villa in a 55 million pound deal. "They already had a number of great central defenders but him coming into the team has been seamless," he said, adding that he could not see a better partnership than Gabriel and Konsa in the Premier League right now. Konsa's goal was his reward for a smooth start at the club.
The medical staff will keep an eye on Gabriel over the coming days. Arsenal's next game is on Tuesday night, when they face League Two Fleetwood Town in the fourth round of the EFL Cup.
Match facts: Arsenal 2-0 Everton, Premier League, Emirates Stadium, Saturday 24 October. Goals: Konsa 7', Gabriel 68'. Arsenal and Manchester City both on 21 points. Next: Arsenal v Fleetwood Town, EFL Cup fourth round, Tuesday.
0 Comments