'Deserves his place': Martin Keown says Arsenal have an underrated player who plays every game like it's his last
Arsenal have enjoyed a superb start to the Premier League season and are looking every bit title contenders as we approach another international break. The...
Arsenal have enjoyed a superb start to the Premier League season and are looking every bit title contenders as we approach another international break.
The Gunners came within seconds of beating Manchester City a few weeks back but City’s own inconsistencies have blown the title race wide open, with Liverpool involved as well.
Of course, for Arsenal, they’ve come so close in the last two seasons that it now feels like it might be a case of now or never.
Key to the Gunners being so good over the last two years has been their brilliance in defence, with William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes being superb as a duo.
However, while Saliba is often lauded, former Arsenal defender Martin Keown believes that often means Gabriel is overlooked.
And according to Keown, the Brazilian has really proven himself to Mikel Arteta and the Arsenal fans.
Martin Keown praises Arsenal defender Gabriel
Speaking on TalkSPORT about the Arsenal defensive duo of Saliba and Gabriel, Keown actually suggested that Gabriel doesn’t get the credit deserved because of Saliba’s brilliance.
“I just feel Gabriel maybe is the one who is underappreciated a little bit. Saliba is the one who we can look at and say very classy, he is quick, he is powerful, just oozes class, Gabriel maybe not quite getting the credit he deserves,” Keown said.
“And I think the goals now that he scores put him on the map. He didn’t start the season last year, I believe, say on the bench early in the season, he played his way back in.
“And I talk about playing your every game as if it’s your last, and he certainly does. It really sharpened him up, the fact that it looked like he wasn’t going to be a first choice. And now he really deserves his place.”
Gabriel has become a key man for the Gunners from set-pieces and as Keown says, that is helping him stand out a bit.
But regardless of who stands out and who doesn’t, the key for Arsenal is that as a pair, they are among the best in the world.
And if they stay fit and in form, then Arsenal might finally get their hands on the title.
What's Your Reaction?
