“Don’t really care about what he says” – Arsenal star Gabriel hits back at manager
Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion might not have been a masterclass in free-flowing attacking football, but it was a massive step toward the Premier League title.
A deflected ninth-minute strike from Bukayo Saka proved to be the difference, allowing Mikel Arteta’s side to capitalize on Manchester City’s slip-up and move seven points clear at the top of the table.
However, the post-match narrative was quickly dominated by a clash of styles and a fiery war of words.
Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler was visibly frustrated at the final whistle, launching an astonishing rant against Arsenal’s tactics.
Hurzeler was annoyed by Arsenal tactics
Annoyed by the Gunners’ perceived gamesmanship and slow restarts, with data showing Arsenal took over 30 minutes to restart play across the match, Hürzeler accused the visitors of ruining the spectacle.
“There was only one team who tried to play football today,” the German manager fumed, pointing out that Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya went down for treatment on three separate occasions.
Hürzeler boldly declared that Arsenal’s approach “was not football” and stated, “I will never be that kind of manager who tries to win in that way.”
Gabriel Magalhaes comes up with a strong response
Gabriel Magalhães, who put in a monumental Man of the Match performance filled with vital blocks and towering headers to keep Brighton at bay, was quick to dismiss Hürzeler’s complaints.
Speaking to the media, the Brazilian center-back made it abundantly clear that the Brighton camp’s frustrations mean very little to the league leaders.
He told ESPN Brasil, as reported by Standard:
“We don’t really care about what he says.
“That is for the referee to decide on the pitch. If he wants to give a yellow card or not, he decides the time we take.
“We just have to do things the way we are doing and keep going.”
Gabriel’s blunt dismissal perfectly shows the ruthless mentality currently driving Arsenal.
Arteta’s squad is no longer interested in winning popularity contests or earning praise for playing aesthetically pleasing football if it means dropping points away from home.
With the Premier League trophy firmly in their sights, Arsenal’s sole focus is crossing the finish line, no matter how many feathers they have to ruffle along the way.
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