Gabriel’s towering header in the 64th minute was the difference as Arsenal beat Tottenham 1-0 in the first north London derby of the season.
Without Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard, Arsenal produced a gritty performance and walked away with all three points from the home of their local rivals.
However, there is a bit of controversy surrounding the winning goal as it appeared Gabriel pushed Spurs defender Romero, who was marking him, to find the space needed to jump and head in the goal.
The Arsenal defender fouled Romero but that’s English football
Leboeuf insisted that the push from the Arsenal centre-back needs to be highlighted but admitted that there was more leeway from the referee because it’s English football.
He stressed that there definitely was a push from Gabriel and according to the letter of the law it should not have been allowed and the referee should have blown a whistle for a foul.
However, the Frenchman conceded that it might have been a bit soft and even the Tottenham defender didn’t really complain about it following the goal.
“We have to talk about the foul from Gabriel on Romero”, Leboeuf said on ESPN FC.
“It’s English football so let’s say, there is no foul.
“It is clear that we saw Gabriel pushing Romero and so there is a foul and then it is up to the referee to check is it a light one and top of that Romero didn’t really complain.
“But we can see from the back of the goal that it was a real push and you are not allowed to and therefore, it was a foul.”
Arsenal will now shift their focus towards Europe when they will travel to Bergamo to take on Atalanta in the Champions League on Thursday night.
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