Gary Neville branded Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes 'embarrassing' after an early confrontation with Liverpool striker Alexander Isak at Anfield.
In the opening minutes of the Premier League clash, Gabriel clashed with the Reds attacker while competing for the ball. The league's priciest player made minimal contact with Gabriel's head during the tussle, and the Arsenal centre-back dropped to the ground clutching his face.
Neville's Verdict on Gabriel
The former Manchester United skipper said: "Gabriel does let himself down at times. I love his passion and tenacity. But there's a push into his upper chest and goes down holding his face. It's embarrassing. He's got to stop doing that."
Gabriel emerged from the incident unscathed and swiftly returned to action. Mikel Arteta positioned him at the heart of a defensive line that also featured Riccardo Calafiori, Ezri Konsa and Jurrien Timber.
Defensive Partnership and Pre-Match Comments
Gabriel has been a mainstay for the Gunners under Arteta. Despite William Saliba remaining sidelined through injury, he and summer signing Konsa have established a solid defensive partnership at the Emirates Stadium.
Prior to kick-off, Gabriel made his intentions clear, anticipating a bruising and frantic encounter. He said: "I think so. We know it's tough to come here, they have a really good team. It's tough to play here against them. It's an opportunity to get the three points and we are ready for this. We are ready for this battle today, we know it's going to be really difficult but we prepared well to come here and win. I expect big chaos in the game. We are ready, it's a big battle and we are ready."
Title Race Implications
Arsenal arrived at Anfield with a chance to overtake Manchester City at the summit. Enzo Maresca's outfit had suffered a 1-0 home defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion 24 hours earlier, a setback that proved costly for City, who had also fallen 2-1 to Aston Villa the previous weekend.
