3 standout performers from the pre-season win over Everton

2. Gabriel

Arsenal were even more front-footed than in the recently concluded campaign; pushing players higher to press and harry the tenuous Everton backline. Yet whenever teams push up, gaps inevitably widen in behind. The Toffees sought to exploit this.

In the rare instances where they had the ball, those in blue launched the ball quickly into the channels or fired it into Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Although they tried this time after time, Gabriel was there. Continuing where he left off last season, Gabriel was monstrous in defence.

Aerially dominant and adept when covering the channels, he showed why he is the undoubted left-sided centre-back. There is also a more intangible quality to his play: his ability to line up alongside anyone. Gabriel’s played with both Kieran Tierney, Nuno Tavares, and Cedric Soares outside him while playing with Rob Holding, William Saliba and Benjamin White next to him. Regardless of the rest of the rotating cast, the Brazilian performs with remarkable consistency and covers well for the inexperience of the defence when needed.

He also showed his ability on the ball, sliding in a few intelligent passes to break the lines, allowing Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard to turn and race forward. Gabriel’s showing bodes well for the looming season.

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