In a hard-fought and tight derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Gabriel’s second-half header earned Arsenal three points and bragging rights over their fierce rivals.
A gentle push on the back of Cristian Romero gave Gabriel the room to power home a header past Guglielmo Vicario, who several pundits felt should have come off his line to claim or intercept Bukayo Saka’s corner.
Spurs pushed for an equaliser in the remaining half an hour but created little as Arsenal’s impressive defence stood firm to ensure Mikel Arteta’s side got back to winning ways following a 1-1 draw with Brighton before the international break.
Lineker ‘expected more’ from Sunday’s north London derby but was impressed by Arsenal’s defensive resolve and particularly the performance of goalscorer Gabriel.
‘It wasn’t a great game or a great spectacle actually,’ the ex-England striker said on The Rest is Football podcast.
‘I was expecting it to be a bit more end-to-end but Arsenal are so hard to beat, they defend so well, they really do.
Gabriel celebrates his goal for Arsenal against Tottenham
Gabriel celebrates his goal against Tottenham
‘We often talk about [William] Saliba but that partnership with Gabriel is very strong. Gabriel is a warrior, isn’t he?
‘He’s a player you’d really want on your side. And he does chip in with the odd goal. He’s tough to mark in the box and a real threat.’
Arsenal’s victory saw them climb to second in the Premier League table, two points behind defending champions Manchester City who are the only team to boast a perfect record after four games.
That has left the Reds fourth – one point behind third-placed Newcastle United and three adrift of Man City, who continued their formidable run with a 2-1 win against Brentford.
Even at this early stage Lineker believes Manchester City and Arsenal are threatening to pull away from their rivals and engage in yet another title race.
‘It’s already looking like Arsenal v Manchester for the title again,’ he added as the two clubs prepare to meet at the Etihad Stadium next weekend.
Gunners boss Arteta, meanwhile, was full of praise for his side after they battled to a narrow victory over their nearest rivals.
‘After the international break, we had a few blows,’ he said. ‘How the team reacted was magnificent. It showed a lot of maturity from the team.
‘When they get into the final third, it’s very difficult because they have a structure. We were missing vital players and we had to react to that. I’m very pleased.
‘We had to adjust and use different players and qualities. I was hoping they would do something with the ball and we did it. Sometimes better than others. They are a really good side.
‘When we have to defend in deeper areas, we did it really well. There are things to improve but we have another victory here and it’s huge. I know how our supporters will feel about this so enjoy it.’
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