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Pundit lauds Arsenal’s Gabriel after win vs Brighton

By on March 5, 2026

gabriel magalhaes arsenal

Arsenal legend Martin Keown has heaped praise on his old club’s star Gabriel Magalhaes following his immense performance against Brighton and Hove Albion in midweek.

Following a disappointing 2-2 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers last month, the Gunners allowed Manchester City to close the gap at the top of the table.

However, after Manchester City’s 2-2 draw over Nottingham Forest and the North London club’s slender 1-0 victory over the Seagulls, they have now extended their lead.

Mikel Arteta’s side are currently the Premier League leader with 67 points from 30 matches, with Man City sitting second with 60 points from 29 games.

Arsenal defeated Brighton courtesy of Bukayo Saka’s early goal, and this was their 14th clean sheet of this season in the Premier League.

Now, speaking on TNT Sports after the game, Keown said (via Metro) that although Arsenal didn’t play at their best vs Fabian Hurzeler’s side, they have become a ‘huge favourite’ to win the title following midweek’s victory.

The former defender even claimed that Gabriel displayed an ‘absolutely immense’ performance in helping his side keep the clean sheet, but Declan Rice looked ‘nervy’.

Pundit lauds Gabriel

However, Kai Havertz and Riccardo Calafiori performed well after coming on as substitutes in the second half.

Keown said:

“It was tortuous to watch at times but Gabriel’s performance at the back was absolutely immense. It was tense but you’ve got to keep going, Havertz came off the bench and gave a touch of class to the team.

“Calafiori as well gave Arsenal better balance in the second half. It was bit nervy at times from Declan Rice but boy that is an unbelievable result for Arsenal.”

After moving to the Emirates Stadium from LOSC Lille, Gabriel initially displayed inconsistent performances, making several high-profile errors. However, he has now established himself as one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League.

In 34 appearances across all competitions, the 28-year-old has netted four goals and registered five assists this season. Moreover, he has helped his side keep 15 clean sheets.

After proving his worth at the Emirates Stadium, Gabriel has secured his place in Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil national team’s starting line-up.

Now, Arsenal will face Mansfield Town in the FA Cup fifth round this weekend before taking on Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League next week.