Arteta admits ‘we were all scared’ after Gabriel injury scare vs Everton
Mikel Arteta has admitted that Arsenal were genuinely frightened when Gabriel Magalhães went down injured during Saturday's 2-0 win over Everton at the Emirates, before the Brazilian got straight back up and scored the goal that sealed the points.
Gabriel appeared to hurt his right knee while stretching to make a clearance early in the second half. His immediate reaction was concerning, signalling towards the bench before receiving treatment on the pitch. For a few uncomfortable minutes, it looked as though Arsenal might lose one of their most important defenders.
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He was determined to continue, though, and what followed showed exactly why Arteta rates him so highly.
Arteta reveals the real source of the fear
Speaking after the match, Arteta explained that it wasn't necessarily the fall itself that alarmed him most, but how the players around Gabriel reacted in the moment. As reported by the Evening Standard, the Arsenal manager said:
“Well, he's a clear example, when I'm talking about the mentality of the team, obviously the mentality of the team is the mentality of the individuals in the team. Gabi is a great example of that because we were all scared. Not because of the way he went down, but the reaction of the players that were next to him.”
He continued: “Immediately he says that he wants to continue and then he scores a goal to help us win the game. That's what we need from our players.”
It was quite a turnaround for the Brazilian, who went from looking unlikely to finish the match to heading home Arsenal's second goal in the 69th minute. Gabriel was outstanding at both ends of the pitch across the 90 minutes.
Why keeping Gabriel fit matters so much
With William Saliba still unavailable, Arsenal can hardly afford another setback in central defence. Gabriel's partnership with Ezri Konsa has provided some much needed stability at the back, and both defenders getting on the scoresheet against Everton was an added bonus on top of that solidity.
Playing on and scoring doesn't necessarily rule out a lingering issue, of course, and supporters will be hoping the defender has come through the knock without any lasting problems. Arsenal have not given any update suggesting otherwise.
Arsenal's win moved them level on points with Manchester City, and keeping their defensive leader fit and available could prove significant as the season moves into a congested period of fixtures.
