Arsenal titan has now done something no other PL defender has managed in 3 years

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Arsenal star Gabriel Magalhaes scored his first goal of the season against Liverpool, and this was a significant one for several reasons.

The defender gave his side an early lead at Anfield after an excellent header from Martin Odegaard’s free-kick and was a titan at the back alongside William Saliba as Arsenal put in a strong defensive performance.

Gabriel’s goal was the first he has scored since a header away at Fulham in March, which was his third strike in the league last season.

The centre-back joined from Lille in 2020, and has become a mainstay in the Arsenal XI under Mikel Arteta, and is now leading the Premier League in one remarkable stat.

Gabriel Magalhaes leads the Premier League for goals among defenders

Gabriel’s goal against Liverpool was his 11th in the Premier League since his arrival, and this is more than any other defender has managed in the division in that time.

This includes full-backs such as Trent Alexander-Arnold and Reece James, and more than any central defender, with the likes of Aymeric Laporte, Ben Mee and Kurt Zouma all well behind the 26-year-old.

The Brazil international scored against Fulham on his Premier League debut, and has since become a huge threat from set pieces, with his aerial ability and movement making him a potent attacker in the opposition box.

Where does Gabriel rank among Arsenal defenders for goals?

Gabriel’s 11 strikes incredibly makes him Arsenal’s fifth-highest goalscorer in Premier League history among defenders.

Arsenal legend Tony Adams comes in just above, having scored 12 times in 255 games, level with William Gallas who managed that total in 101 games.

Fellow left-footed defender Thomas Vermaelen comes in second with 13 strikes in 110 games, behind Laurent Koscielny who notched up 22 in 255 appearances.

At 0.10 goals per Premier League match, Gabriel is well on track to overtake some iconic Arsenal players in this list, and is ahead of the entire Invincibles backline of Ashley Cole, Sol Campbell, Kolo Toure and Lauren.

Koscielny comes top of the list having scored several significant goals within his total. His equaliser in the 2014 FA Cup Final was the most important, whilst he scored on the final day in back-to-back seasons against West Brom and Newcastle to help secure top-four finishes ahead of Tottenham Hotspur.

Gabriel has now scored at Stamford Bridge and Anfield, and is beginning to shine on big occasions as a colossal presence in the back line, and a set-piece threat going forward.