Arsenal have reached a point where control meets confidence. The team looks settled, and every match feels like another step towards a long-awaited crown. Mikel Arteta’s side has built something steady, something that carries both strength and rhythm.
Their defence drives the silent force behind their four-point cushion at the top. Manchester City stay close, Liverpool keep chasing, yet the north Londoners hold their line. They score goals and stop them with discipline and precision. In nine Premier League games this season, they have let in only three goals. That record fuels belief, and belief often turns into momentum.
The calm before the climb
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher captured that feeling when he spoke about Arsenal’s structure. He focused on Gabriel, the Brazilian centre-back who leads from deep. Carragher said that if Arsenal win the league, Gabriel could claim the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award.
He compared him to John Terry and Virgil van Dijk, defenders who commanded their lines and shaped entire teams around their authority. Carragher even pointed out that Gabriel’s numbers beat those of Terry and Van Dijk in goals and defensive strength. For him, Gabriel’s calm and brave command of the backline drives Arsenal’s title charge.
“I think if Arsenal go on and win the league, right now, I think he’s the number one contender.”
“I look at those other three players (McGrath, Terry, Van Dijk), great players, all leaders for their clubs like Gabriel is.”
“Actually John Terry is the only one to win the Premier League in the year he won the PFA Player of the Year award.”
“But when you actually look at John Terry and Virgil van Dijk’s role, look at the goals.”
“They’re not just big leaders at the back, the number of goals they get… and [Gabriel’s] record is actually far better than theirs when you look at those numbers.”
The argument for and against the Arsenal defender
Carragher’s praise makes sense, but awards rarely depend on one player’s consistency. Gabriel plays with aggression in duels, intelligence in positioning, and relentless energy in the air. However, the PFA award usually rewards the headline-makers.
If Arsenal win the league, Bukayo Saka or Martin Ødegaard might take the spotlight. Their creativity pushes the team’s attack, and fans remember that first. Even Declan Rice’s role at the base of midfield has changed the team’s balance. He closes spaces, wins second balls, and gives Gabriel the confidence to play freely.
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Still, people rarely give defenders this kind of recognition unless their impact becomes impossible to ignore. John Terry won it once in 2005, and Van Dijk did the same in 2019. Both led title-winning teams built on defensive control.
If Gabriel keeps this form until May 2026, he deserves the award as much as anyone, but football follows patterns. Voters often choose flair over control, goals over clean sheets. So, while Carragher’s faith in Gabriel shows his growing influence, it might not bring him personal glory. Yet, if Gabriel leads Arsenal to the title, that victory itself will mark his true reward: the calm defender who anchored their return to greatness.
