‘I said’: Martin Keown shares what he told William Saliba about Gabriel Magalhaes last season

Arsenal have had their fair share of underrated players over the years.

However, perhaps the most underrated player in the Arsenal team right now is Gabriel Magalhaes.

William Saliba often gets the limelight for being Arsenal’s top dog in a defensive sense, but Gabriel is just as important to the Gunners’ system.

Speaking on Charles Watts’ YouTube channel, Martin Keown has been discussing Arsenal’s two defenders, and he says that he actually told Saliba last season that Gabriel is a very underrated player.

Gabriel Magalhaes during Atalanta BC against Arsenal FC, UEFA Champions League, League phase - Matchday 1, at Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo, Italy, on ...

Martin Keown told William Saliba that Gabriel is underrated

Keown shared what he told Saliba about his centre-back partner.

The Arsenal legend says he actually told Saliba that Gabriel doesn’t get the credit he deserves.

Interestingly, Keown also said that the perception around Gabriel has now changed after his recent scoring spree from set-pieces.

“I got to meet them both last season, they’re great lads. I said to Saliba, if you don’t mind I want to say some nice things about Gabriel, you’re a Rolls Royce and everyone loves you, but I see Gabriel a bit as the player I might have been, the one who didn’t always get the credit or was as well recognised, but Gabriel has changed that now, he has scored 16 goals from set pieces,” Keown said.

“I think it’s a credit to him that he’s stood up, you can have competition in a partnership, but there has to be a togetherness.

“Gabriel is a very good one on one defender, maybe the best at the club.”

When will Gabriel return from injury?

It’s obvious just how important Gabriel is to this Arsenal team, but, unfortunately, he went down with an injury against Liverpool last week.

However, Mikel Arteta has given a much more positive prognosis in his press conference.

“We are still assessing him,” Arteta said, “It doesn’t look bad at all. It was much better the next day. Hopefully he’ll be fine. He has done some tests.”

“We have a training session today, if he can complete that, he will be available.”

Gabriel could be back fit in time to face Newcastle on Saturday and that is a big boost for the Gunners heading into what is a crunch fixture against another top side.