Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes has expertly turned the tables on Tottenham Hotspur forward Richarlison following the Gunners' emphatic North London Derby victory, despite being sidelined with injury.
The Perfect Payback
While unable to participate in the match due to an injury sustained on international duty with Brazil, the 28-year-old centre-back seized the moment after the final whistle. Gabriel took to Instagram with a pointed post that directly mirrored Richarlison's own social media antics from earlier in the season.
His upload featured a photograph displaying his Arsenal Player of the Month trophy, alongside Eberechi Eze's match shirt, player of the match award, and a signed football. The crucial element came when Gabriel specifically tagged his Brazilian teammate Richarlison in the publication.
History of the Feud
This digital jab served as direct retaliation for an incident during the pre-season. Back in July, after Tottenham's 1-0 friendly win over Arsenal in Hong Kong, Richarlison had posted a picture of his Man of the Match award and similarly tagged Gabriel.
On that previous occasion, Gabriel had responded by sharing an image of three Premier League player of the match awards he had won against Tottenham. However, this latest retort carried significantly more weight, coming after a proper competitive fixture where the stakes were infinitely higher.
Derby Day Dominance
Gabriel was present at the Emirates Stadium to witness his team's commanding performance firsthand. He even joined the on-pitch celebrations at full-time, soaking in a result that saw Eze's hat-trick and a Leandro Trossard goal render Richarlison's impressive long-range strike ultimately meaningless.
The three points proved crucial in the broader Premier League context, allowing Arsenal to extend their lead at the top of the table to six points after title rivals Manchester City dropped points against Newcastle.
Gunners manager Mikel Arteta praised his team's consistency but remained cautious about getting ahead of himself. "We are doing really well, we've been really consistent, and that's it," Arteta stated in his post-match press conference. He also expressed his eagerness to see injured players like Gabriel return, while offering praise for his replacement, Piero Hincapie, who delivered a "fantastic" performance from the beginning.
