Troy Deeney says you can ‘feel the fear’ Gabriel Magalhaes strikes in Arsenal’s opposition

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Troy Deeney has heaped praise on Arsenal duo Gabriel Magalhaes and Declan Rice for their performances against Burnley on Saturday.

The Gunners established a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League, courtesy of a 2-0 win over the Clarets at Turf Moor.

Viktor Gyokeres gave Arsenal the lead early on, bundling the ball over the line from close range following a corner, before Declan Rice’s powerful header put daylight between them and Scott Parker’s side.

There were a number of impressive performances on the day from Gunners players, and Deeney has chosen to highlight two in particular.

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Troy Deeney says Gabriel Magalhaes strikes ‘fear’ into the opposition

Gabriel was instrumental in the construction of Arsenal’s opening goal against Burnley.

The Brazilian ran to the back post to attack Rice’s corner, subtly knocking the ball back across the box for Gyokeres to nod home.

This was the centre-back’s third assist in his last four starts, while he’s also scored twice this season. One of the most productive defenders in world football, he’s become a pivotal part of the Gunners’ attack.

Arteta gives Gabriel freedom to attack the ball wherever it lands from corners, and this approach is clearly paying dividends for Arsenal.

Writing for BBC Sport, former Watford striker Deeney claimed that ‘you can feel the fear’ in opposition teams that the 27-year-old provokes.

“Again, just a menace and so good to see,” the pundit said on Gabriel.

“Another clean sheet for Arsenal this season. They are constantly on a rollercoaster. He is such a handful from set-pieces, a nuisance.

“He doesn’t know much about the assist in the win at Burnley, but just being there made the difference. You can feel the fear in the other teams.”

Troy Deeney describes Declan Rice as an ‘absolute beast’

Rice was absolutely outstanding against Burnley.

The midfielder ran the game from the middle of the pitch, helping to progress the ball through his exquisite passing and aggressive ball carrying, while he carried out his defensive duties diligently.

He capped this display off with a stunning header, which cemented Arsenal’s lead, and he’s subsequently garnered plaudits from Deeney.

“Another who was pivotal against Burnley,” the ex-striker said on Rice.

“He was an absolute beast. He got the goal and is a monster from set-pieces. When they play the lesser teams and let Martin Zubimendi sit deep, Rice gets his energy back; he is making more attacking runs. It is important to see him let loose.”