Gritty Gabriel proves Arsenal are up for the Premier League title fight

If Arsenal were to leave Tottenham with all three points, it always felt like it would take this kind of performance.

This was a win based on Arsenal’s resilience and grit, as they showcased the defensive quality that made them title contenders last season.

On this evidence, the Gunners are ready to compete with Manchester City again and they are more than up for the fight.

Fittingly, it was Gabriel who scored the only goal of the game. It was a thumping header too, with the Brazilian losing his marker in the box to power Bukayo Saka’s corner home.

It’s now 15 Premier League goals for Gabriel since he joined Arsenal in 2020, four more than the next best tally - which is Kurt Zouma on 11.

So often it is William Saliba who earns the plaudits for Arsenal at the back, but this was a reminder of how vital Gabriel is, too.

The Brazilian can fly under the radar when playing alongside the Frenchman, however he has been just as vital in transforming Arsenal into the kind of team who can come to their fiercest rivals and grind out a result like this.

Gabriel’s header will grab him the headlines, but his all-round performance was excellent.

Time and time again, he was in the right place to make a crucial block and, as Arsenal sat deep late on, he cleared every cross into the box and helped his side soak up the pressure.

For Arsenal, this was a valuable win given the circumstances. They were without seven first-team players due to injury or suspension, including Declan Rice and captain Martin Odegaard.

It meant Mikel Arteta was forced to tweak how Arsenal setup and they essentially played in a 4-4-2 formation when out of possession.

The plan was clear: soak up whatever Tottenham threw at them and break on the counter.

In the first-half, there were a few chances - most notably when Leandro Trossard played in Gabriel Martinelli.

Neither side was creating anything clear cut, though, and what was a scrappy game felt like it would be decided by one goal.

Once again, set-pieces were Arsenal’s biggest weapon. Saka swung in a corner from the right and somehow Gabriel had the freedom of the six-yard box to head home.

Wheeling away in delight, the Brazilian thumped his chest and Saliba jumped on his back in front of the away fans.

The Frenchman grabbed hold of Gabriel and pointed towards him. The Brazilian’s moment in the sun was no more than he deserved.