Michael Owen claims he would have hated playing against this Arsenal defender
By Dominic Toner
Michael Owen has praised Arsenal defender Gabriel claiming he would not have liked playing against him.
The 26-year-old has been named in the starting line up to partner Laurent Koscielny against Everton, with regular centre-back Shkodran Mustafi ruled out with a hamstring injury.
The Arsenal defender has been playing at right-back in recent matches in the absence of Hector Bellerin, but has been restored to his natural position.
He will be hoping to impress on Tuesday night at Goodison Park as Arsenal look to become overtake Chelsea as Premier League leaders.
Ex-Liverpool and England striker Owen believes that Gabriel is an aggressive defender and admitted that he would have hated playing against him.
“I mean he (Gabriel) is a centre-half that I would hate to play against,” Owen told BT Sport, as quoted by their official Twitter account. “He is an aggressive centre-half who doesn’t give you a minute.”
Gabriel is not considered a starter in Arsenal’s best starting line up, but has proven to be a great addition to the squad.
The Brazilian has made 44 appearances for the Gunners since he arrived in 2015 and is a fiery character on the pitch.
He will be looking to keep Everton forward Romelu Lukaku quiet in Tuesday’s clash and will be up for a physical battle.
Gabriel was charge with improper conduct after a clash with Chelsea striker Diego Costa last season and provides Arsenal with a competitive edge in defence.
In other Arsenal news, the club’s supporters have reacted on Twitter as reports claim the club have agreed deals with two players.