Rio Ferdinand picked out an Arsenal player who’s been “hammered” by critics for special praise following the Gunners’ 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

Mikel Arteta’s side laboured to victory as substitute Noni Madueke’s deflected strike proved the difference at the Emirates to take Arsenal back within three points of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table.

But the Gunners needed a bit of luck and some last-gasp defending to hold out as Forest piled on the pressure in the final few minutes.

Ezri Konsa – who joined Arsenal from Aston Villa for £51m in the summer – starred alongside Gabriel at the back and produced a stunning last-minute tackle to deny Liam Delap.

And Ferdinand was very impressed by the England international’s performance, hailing the “match-winning” intervention which served to put his critics in their place.

“The defenders like Konsa needed a pat on the back,” Ferdinand said on Rio Presents.

“I saw Declan make a block near the end as well. The block Konsa made at the end of the game, oh my god that’s a matchwinner. He deserves a bump up in wages just for that alone.

“Huge, huge moments. I see people try to hammer Konsa and say why have we bought Konsa? That’s why, because he’s consistent and he’s solid.”

Arteta was also full of praise for the role both Konsa and Gabriel played in the victory.

“The win was not possible without them, because they have so much quality and physicality, having to constantly deal with what we predicted to be 50 balls in the air,” he said.

“I don’t know how many they had, but it would’ve been very close to that. And it’s not only that, it’s what happens after that ball and the consequences from that.

“To be on it constantly, every action delivered is very tough. When you think it’s done, Wood and Hudson-Odoi come in and they start to have a different problem.

“Now you are man-to-man with the two centre-backs. But that’s the Premier League, and the quality of it which makes it the best league in the world.”