Richarlison taunts Arsenal rival Gabriel on TikTok after Tottenham derby defeat
Tottenham's Brazilian forward Richarlison has taken a cheeky jab at Arsenal's Gabriel on TikTok following their North London Derby clash.
The Gunners weathered the storm in a nail-biting 3-2 victory over their fierce rivals, continuing their pursuit towards Premier League glory. Richarlison, who had recently returned from injury, was brought on as a substitute in the second half and quickly made his presence felt. Spurs then clawed back with two goals from Cristian Romero and Son Heung-min, but Arsenal held their nerve to secure the win.
The match wasn't without incident, however. Shortly after being subbed on, Richarlison floored Gabriel in a shoulder-to-shoulder challenge that earned him a yellow card.
One Tottenham supporter didn't miss the opportunity to stir the pot on social media, posting a video of the encounter accompanied by the caption: "Brazil's first choice striker Vs Brazil's last choice CB."
Taking it all in stride, Richarlison even shared the clip on his own account, playfully mocking Gabriel who has only won six caps for Brazil despite being one of the Premier League's top defenders. In contrast, Richarlison has represented Brazil 48 times, netting 20 goals along the way, reports the Express.
After the match, tensions were visible as Gabriel and another player had a heated exchange on the pitch, but the moment quickly shifted to celebration with the Arsenal faithful as they secured their position at the summit of the league.
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Gabriel's reputation in Brazil might be under scrutiny, especially after Richarlison's cheeky TikTok repost, but at Arsenal, he's highly regarded. His defensive synergy with William Saliba is evident, and there's buzz about him being offered a lucrative new deal to stay in north London.
According to The Daily Mail, Arsenal have initiated preliminary discussions to extend Gabriel's stay beyond his current contract, which has two years remaining. Despite early-season speculation linking him with a move to Saudi Arabia, Gabriel has cemented his place as a key player for Arteta.
Yet, when it's time for the Brazilian squad to gather again for the Copa America, including warm-up matches against Mexico and the United States in June, Richarlison's online antics could lead to an interesting encounter between the two players.
Gabriel withdrew from the March squad for friendlies against England and Spain, but is expected to be included in Dorival Junior's team for the forthcoming international tournament alongside Richarlison. The pair could have a lot to discuss following their on-pitch incident and the subsequent social media activity of the Spurs player.