93% passing, 13 duels won, 4 recoveries: £27m star was Arsenal's best player in Brentford draw, rest him vs Wigan
Arsenal dropped points in the Premier League after a 1-1 draw against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Thursday night.
The Gunners went into the game with a three-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the table and had the chance to make it six.
They failed to do so. Noni Madueke opened the scoring out of the blue for the Gunners, but the Bees soon equalised through Keane Lewis-Potter.
Despite the result, there were some standout performers for Arsenal, including Gabriel Magalhaes, who was brilliant in the defensive scheme of things.
The Brazilian received an early yellow card for a foul on Thiago, but went on to win several more duels against the Bees striker throughout the game.
Gabriel finished the match with 81 touches and a pass accuracy of 93 percent. He won an impressive 13 duels in the derby with nine clearances and four recoveries.
The centre-back also blocked three shots on goal, including one with a glancing header.
Declan Rice and Cristhian Mosquera also caught the eye with crucial defensive contributions, but we believe Gabriel was the best player on the pitch for Arsenal.
The £27 million signing had a fantastic outing against the Bees and deserves to be completely rested for the FA Cup fourth round tie against Wigan Athletic on Sunday.
Arsenal should secure a comfortable win over the struggling League One outfit at the Emirates Stadium. Manager Mikel Arteta could change the entire XI for the game.
Gabriel deserves a much-needed breather before the next Premier League match against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Molineux Stadium on Wednesday evening.
The Gunners play an extra game before Manchester City return to league action against Newcastle United on February 21. It is a must-win to keep the pressure on.
Arsenal are four points clear over the Cityzens at the top of the standings and can go seven points ahead of Pep Guardiola’s side next Wednesday, which would be a huge boost.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com
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