Fulham manager Marco Silva praises Arsenal‘s Gabriel Magalhaes as an unstoppable force during set-piece situations.
Following Fulham’s narrow 1-0 loss at Craven Cottage on Saturday evening, Marco Silva acknowledged the difficulty of containing Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes, describing him as virtually “impossible to stop” when attacking from set-pieces.
Mikel Arteta’s side showcased a disciplined defensive display, with the match’s only goal coming in the 58th minute courtesy of Leandro Trossard, which ultimately secured the victory and maintained Arsenal’s position at the summit of the league.
The decisive strike stemmed from a corner kick, an area where Arsenal consistently pose a threat. Gabriel expertly redirected the ball at the near post, allowing Trossard to capitalize at the far post and slot the ball home from close range.
This contribution marked Gabriel’s 20th goal involvement since joining Arsenal in 2020, highlighting his significant impact in offensive set-piece scenarios. Silva admitted that managing the Brazilian’s aerial dominance remains a formidable task for any opponent.
Marco Silva lauds Gabriel’s aerial dominance as a key challenge
“Losing is always tough, especially against a team performing at such a high level,” Silva reflected in an interview with BBC’s Match of the Day.
“We created opportunities before Arsenal scored, but they were more clinical in capitalizing on theirs. We anticipated a challenging match against a strong side, and I believe we limited their clear-cut chances effectively.”
“Gabriel’s leap is exceptional; stopping him in the air is nearly impossible. It’s a real challenge to mark him,” Silva added.
“Throughout the game, we tried to restrict his movement, and for the most part, we succeeded. However, we occasionally left gaps that allowed him to exploit space. Any flick-on at the back post is extremely difficult to defend against.”
On a related note, Fulham’s Alex Iwobi made history during the match by setting a new Premier League record for the most appearances by a Nigerian player. The former Everton midfielder now boasts 299 Premier League appearances, as confirmed by the league’s official sources.