Arsenal got over the line at Nottingham Forest thanks to a deflected strike late in the day from Noni Madueke but once again, it was the other end of the pitch what won the Gunners the game.

While Forest didn’t threaten too much, they still put Arsenal under enough pressure for some to say they might have warranted an equaliser.

Instead, Arsenal stood strong. Much like last season, the entire back four chucked themselves in front of everything they could and in the end, it paid dividends.

New signing Ezri Konsa looked excellent, while both full-backs who finished – Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber – also played well.

However, while he might not be getting the goals he got last season, it was Brazilian defender Gabriel Magalhaes who quietly outshone everyone.

Gabriel Magalhaes leads Arsenal’s defence in William Saliba’s absence

With William Saliba out injured and not back for the foreseeable, it was always going to be imperative that Gabriel stepped up to the plate.

With a new partner in Konsa alongside him, he looks to have done just that and his performance at Forest today was another example of the Brazilian just going about his business.

At Forest today, Gabriel very much led the Arsenal defence as they ground out another clean-sheet.

The former Lille man completed a team and game high six clearances, blocked three shots, and won five aerial duels as Forest put the pressure on. Again, these were all team highs for the Gunners.

Away from that, Gabriel was also sharp with his passing, completing over 95% of his 75 attempted passes, including landing four accurate long balls as well. Interestingly as well, only Declan Rice had more touches than the Arsenal defender, with 113 from the England midfielder to Gabriel’s 93.

Yet again, it was a masterclass in defending from one of the Premier League’s absolute best.

Indeed, while it might not be as pretty or as exciting as Manchester City right now, Arsenal are getting results their own way and as usual, Gabriel is proving key in getting them.