Gabriel Magalhaes sends ‘surprise’ message to Eddie Nketiah after Arsenal twist
Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes has sent a surprisingly affectionate message to Eddie Nketiah after the two former teammates faced off in their 3-2 League Cup win over Crystal Palace on Wednesday (December 18).
The 26-year-old replaced Jakub Kiwior in the 87th minute for Mikel Arteta’s side, just two minutes after Nketiah, 25, scored to make it 3-2.
Nketiah’s late goal turned out to be nothing more than a consolation for Oliver Glasner’s side as Gabriel Jesus’s second-half hattrick secured a spot in the semi-finals for Arsenal.
The former Arsenal man has struggled since permanently leaving his boyhood club in the summer, starting just eight of his 14 games across all competitions, scoring two goals, and providing one assist in 733 minutes of action.
Palace and Arsenal will play each other for the second time in four days on Saturday (December 21) as Arteta’s side aim to stay within touching distance of the top two.
Gabriel Magalhaes gives Eddie Nketiah a warm Arsenal welcome after Emirates return
Gabriel has been key for Arsenal so far this season, starting 19 of his 21 games across all competitions, popping up with four goals, and providing zero assists in 1654 minutes of action.
The centre-back is Arsenal’s third top Premier League goal scorer, behind Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz, with all three of his goals coming from set-pieces.
Arsenal haven’t scored a goal from open play since their 5-2 league win over West Ham at the end of November.
Gabriel took to Instagram after Arsenal’s win over Crystal Palace to share an image of himself with Nketiah with a love heart emoji.
Arteta’s side are in the midst of a defensive injury crisis, with Riccardo Calafiori, Ben White, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Takehiro Tomiyasu all out.
Arsenal fell four points behind Chelsea in second after a frustrating 0-0 draw with Sean Dyche’s struggling Everton side in the previous round.
In other news, Gabriel Jesus sends six-word Arsenal message after fans said he was ‘finished’.
For more Arsenal and exclusive news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.