Gabriel’s second-half objective was sufficient to maintain Arsenal prime of the Premier League with a 1-0 win at Chelsea on Sunday that additional underlined the Gunners’ title credentials.
The Brazilian center-back was readily available to steer in a nook from Bukayo Saka within the 63rd minute at Stamford Bridge following a largely dominant efficiency by the guests in opposition to a toothless Chelsea facet.
The win lifts Arsenal again atop the standings, two factors forward of Manchester Metropolis, which had taken the in a single day lead with a last-gasp win in opposition to Fulham on Saturday. It additionally sends an excellent stronger message to Metropolis that Arsenal is more likely to be their essential challenger for the title this season after including this outcome to earlier victories in opposition to Liverpool and Tottenham.
For Chelsea, although, it was one other disappointing efficiency that can add to stress on supervisor Graham Potter, particularly coming off a 4-1 loss at his former membership Brighton final week.
Arsenal was in management for a lot of the recreation and will have already got been forward by the break had Gabriel Jesus not prolonged his objective drought to a ninth straight recreation in all competitions by spurning the most effective probability of the primary half by heading vast from shut vary.
All 9 of Gabriel’s #PL targets for @Arsenal have come from corners! @biel_m04 | #CHEARS pic.twitter.com/YLqAedRfoe
— Premier League (@premierleague) November 6, 2022
Chelsea, in the meantime, not often threatened even after falling behind — though a driving rain that fell for the final 20 minutes turned the top of the sport into extra of a slog. Former Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, going through the Gunners for the primary time since leaving the membership for Barcelona in January, was stored quiet till he was taken off simply after the opening objective.
Arsenal was on the entrance foot for many of an up-tempo first half, however couldn’t drive a save from Chelsea goalkeeper Eduoard Mendy. Ben White shot narrowly vast from simply inside the realm within the tenth minute, Gabriel Martinelli curled a long-range strike simply off track within the seventeenth and Jesus had a shot blocked by Thiago Silva after stealing the ball from Ruben Loftus-Cheek and dribbling into the realm within the twentieth.
Jesus then spurned the most effective probability within the twenty ninth when he couldn’t join with a cross from Martinelli, glancing a header effectively vast.
Chelsea not often threatened till Kai Havertz ran onto a ball within the space within the thirty fourth however may solely drive a routine save from Aaron Ramsdale.
Ultimately, it was a defender who broke the impasse.
Saka’s nook evaded a number of gamers because it bounced within the space earlier than it was became the highest of the web by Gabriel.
Saka had an opportunity to double the lead within the 68th however blasted effectively over the bar from a troublesome angle.
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard additionally spurned an excellent probability after being despatched by on objective by Jesus on a fast counterattack, lifting his shot excessive after chopping inside.