Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has heaped praise on Gabriel after the Brazilian defender scored in their 2-0 win against Everton, calling him one of the best centre-backs in the world.
Gabriel found the back of the net in the 68th minute, adding a crucial second goal for the Gunners. Arteta emphasised that Gabriel's importance goes beyond his actions in both boxes; his leadership qualities are invaluable.
“I consider him one of the best centre-backs in the world — there is no doubt about it. Especially when you consider his influence in both penalty areas. His leadership skills, presence on the pitch, and what he brings to the other players are unique. We are very pleased to have him,” said Arteta in an interview with Sky Sports.
Arteta explains five changes to the lineup
The Spanish manager also addressed the reasoning behind his five changes to the starting lineup against Everton. According to him, the dense schedule following the match against Bayern Munich necessitated a fresh approach and rotation.
“I’m really pleased. We made five changes. Over the course of six days, we had three matches, and we understood how challenging that would be.
But the team played very well. From the start, the players were active and applied a lot of pressure on the opposition. We didn’t always manage to finish our attacks, but we scored from a set piece — our first this season. That goal gave us confidence and allowed us to control the game. However, until the second goal, we knew the outcome wasn’t decided,” the manager noted.
Player freshness aided Arsenal
Arteta specifically highlighted the physical toll taken by the team in their previous match against Bayern and explained the necessity for players to gain game time.
“In Munich, we had one of the most physically demanding games in the last four years. The team put in an incredible shift, and then we needed to play again on Saturday at 15:00. Hence, we required fresh legs.
Some players are in good shape at the moment, and they needed minutes on the pitch. All of them performed very well today,” concluded the Arsenal boss.
