Rio Ferdinand performs U-turn on Arsenal ace following private text conversation

Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has performed a major U-turn on Gabriel Magalhaes following Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Manchester City on Sunday afternoon. Gabriel, along with fellow Gunners centre-back William Saliba, marshalled City frontman Erling Haaland impressively, with the Norway international failing to register a single shot on the day.

After the game, Ferdinand singled out the defensive duo for praise, hailing the way they dealt with Pep Guardiola’s attack. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the former England international said: "He (Saliba) and Gabriel’s partnership is really blossoming.

"I don’t think he does what he does without a good partner so you have to give Gabriel his flowers as well. He is the A-side in that partnership."

But Ferdinand hasn’t always been the biggest fan of Gabriel, previously revealing that the Brazilian international send him a private message following some criticism regarding his play-style. "I said that last year," he told his YouTube channel when asked if the Brazilian being dropped earlier this season was due to his past mistakes.

"And he didn’t like it. He DM'd me. In the DM's.

"This is a big thing, for me, with players today, they can’t take criticism. Players today, not all of them, I have had quite a few players who have come through their agents.

"I have said 'don't you get your agent to speak to me. You get your player to come and chat to me and I will chat to him, no problem'."Yes, he (Gabriel) come direct to me, which I respect. But, at the same time, I don’t think he saw what I was saying."

Arsenal’s defence has been one of the best in Europe so far this season, conceding just six times in the Premier League, the joint least in the division along with the aforementioned City.