Arsenal currently have the best defence in the Premier League, and have been collectively strong as a unit.
A remarkable stat showed that Arsenal have conceded just 1.9 expected goals in their last six games, which will bode very well as they aim to compete for the Premier League title alongside Manchester City and Liverpool.
Whilst this can be attributed to Mikel Arteta’s coaching as a whole, individually, the likes of Ben White and William Saliba have been sensational. However, centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes has stood out in recent weeks, even above Saliba, and is arguably in contention for the Premier League player of the season as it stands.
Gabriel Magalhaes has been one of the best players in the Premier League this season
The Athletic have named several possible candidates for the overall player of the season, and whilst Rice is also a potential candidate, Gabriel has a strong case as Arsenal’s, and the Premier League’s best performer this season.
“Playing next to a Rolls Royce, Gabriel Magalhaes is often harshly viewed as the uglier sister of Arsenal’s centre-back partnership,” journalist Jordan Campbell told The Athletic.
“This season, though, he has been just as imperious as William Saliba. Saliba is the sweeper but he has had less and less to tidy up as Gabriel has been so dominant when attacking any forward pass.
“He has eradicated the errors that undermined his game and has vastly improved his decision-making on the ball.”
Gabriel Magalhaes is vital to Arsenal’s defence
“Gabriel is the aggressor in the best defence in the league and the foundation of Arsenal’s suffocating press. Whether it’s on the ground or in the air, the Brazilian has bullied countless strikers this season,” Campbell added.
“His five goals from set pieces — not counting the other time he has won the initial header — and that attacking prowess has become a big weapon, too. He may not be as pretty on the eye, but he is the epitome of the modern defender who thrives in one-on-one duels and his high-pitched shouts prove he is also the leader at the back.”
In recent weeks, Saliba has had some shaky moments, but Gabriel has been a consistent rock at the back, whilst also contributing with goals at the other end of the pitch.
Gabriel has hardly put a foot wrong all season, whilst Saliba did not cover himself in glory in two of the three goals Arsenal have conceded in 2024.
The Brazilian is in the best form of his Arsenal career, and his improvement since the start of last season, which saw him make several high-profile errors, has been significant.
If the season was to end now, Gabriel has as strong a case as anyone for Arsenal’s player of the season award, and if his side are to go on and win a first Premier League title since 2004, they will have his rugged defensive work to thank.
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