Arsenal defender Gabriel praised his teammates for their hard work in the 2–1 victory over Chelsea, a result that extended the club’s unbeaten run to nine matches.
Arsenal built on last weekend’s 4–1 triumph over Tottenham Hotspur with another vital three points against a London rival, maintaining the Gooners’ five-point advantage at the top of the Premier League table.
The Gooners had to dig deep as the visitors fought until the final whistle, but Gabriel’s man-of-the-match performance guided the Gooners over the line to secure another crucial victory as the title race enters its final nine matches.
“It was a big battle today, so I’m very happy to take the three points,” the Brazilian centre-back said. “Everyone on the pitch was unbelievable. We know which type of game we were going to play, so I’m especially very happy about the effort we put in there.”
“After Wolves, we talked to each other, and we knew we needed to be better. I think last week was amazing for us, and it gave a lot of energy to us to come into this game.
“We are very happy for the three points, but now we need to keep going. We know what’s coming, so we need to be ready.”
Gabriel was once again central to the action, setting up his defensive partner William Saliba with a commanding far-post header to keep the move alive.
Having already contributed goals this season, he was delighted to see William Saliba open his account for the campaign and praised David Raya for producing crucial saves to keep the Blues at bay, as Arsenal now set their sights on extending the Gooners’ unbeaten run at Brighton on Wednesday.
“I’m very happy to give [Saliba] an assist. He hadn’t scored this year yet, and today he scored, so I’m very happy for him.”
“[Raya] is a top goalkeeper; that’s why he’s here. We are very happy for him. I think it was in the last minute that he made a big save. We are very happy; we are here to put in our effort.”
“We are very proud, especially the way everyone worked. I think we need to enjoy this time, but we know what is coming and we need to be ready again.”
Arsenal will now be looking to maintain their lead at the top of the table when they take on Brighton in the Premier League on Wednesday.
