Mikel Arteta relies on defensive rock Gabriel to keep Arsenal’s system firing towards league glory

Jumping to his feet, Gabriel unleashed a furious tirade at his compatriot, jabbing his finger towards Pereira’s face and making it clear that he would be sorry if he tried that sort of thing again. Pereira, perhaps wisely, subsequently steered clear of Arsenal’s burly Brazilian. Within a minute of action, “Big Gabi” (as he is known at the club) had shown that he would not be intimidated.

The second moment came with almost the final kick of the match, with Arsenal leading 3-0.

The game was over as a contest but as Dan James shot towards goal, Gabriel (right) launched himself into the path of the ball. He then celebrated his block as if he had scored, pumping his fists towards the Fulham crowd. Such was the absurdity of his reaction, goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale began laughing.

Those two incidents summarised Gabriel as a player: robust, aggressive and combative, with a genuine fondness for the grittier side of the job. He can play, too, and his passing with his left foot has been fundamental to Arsenal’s build-up play.

In January, Arsenal spent an initial £17.5 million (€20m) on Jakub Kiwior, a left-sided centre-back. It was a considerable investment, and many might have thought Gabriel’s place in the team was at risk. But Gabriel has held off that particular challenge (Kiwior has played a total of four Premier League minutes) and in recent months has further established himself as a key man for Arteta.

In the Premier League this season, Gabriel has played more minutes than any other Arsenal outfielder. Across the division, only three outfielders (James Tarkowski, James Ward-Prowse and Max Kilman) have clocked up more time on the pitch.

The 25-year-old has been ever-present for Arteta since he joined from Lille, for around £25 million, in September 2020. On the pitch, he has grown with the team and behind the scenes he has become a genuine leader in the squad.

His English has improved enormously, to the extent that he can now do broadcast interviews in it, and he has been crucial to the development of William Saliba.

“Gabi is still developing in many areas,” said Arteta. “He is becoming a real leader in the team. Now he is settled, his language is better, he has found his place in the team.

“Since the day he joined, he has been really good but this season there have been moments when he has been exceptional. He has been really consistent. That is what you ask for from a centre-back.”

Saliba is set to miss today’s meeting with Leeds United due to a back problem, but Gabriel will provide some familiar ballast in the back line. It was a measure of his toughness that he once fought off a pair of bat-wielding robbers at his home in north London.

Gabriel’s priority is stopping opponents and starting attacks but he has another important attribute: goalscoring. Since the start of last season, he has scored eight times in the Premier League – two more than any other defender in the division.

All of those goals have come from set-pieces, with Gabriel using his physical power to dominate in the air.

He is not perfect, of course. The danger with the Brazilian is that he can occasionally switch off. He conceded a penalty against Tottenham Hotspur with a silly lunge, and lost the ball in a costly position against Manchester City.

In the home match against Fulham, he was dispossessed by Aleksandar Mitrovic, who then scored, although he did go on to get the winner. Such errors are perhaps the difference between Gabriel being a good defender and a world-class operator.

As Arsenal continue to develop as a team, the expectation is Gabriel will grow in seniority.

He is already the most vocal member of the back line – his high-pitched voice is a constant theme of Arsenal’s games – and he is without doubt one of the most important figures behind their push for the title.