Mikel Arteta was full of praise for those who stepped into Arsenal's backline during Wednesday night's 2-0 victory over Manchester United.
Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori failed to make Arteta's matchday squad due to injury, forcing Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko into the XI.
The absence of Gabriel, in particular, meant a few more nerves permeated around the fanbase ahead of kick-off, but such anxiety proved needless as the Gunners shut out their opponents while dominating from set-pieces at the other end of their pitch to ensure they snatched all three points.
Liverpool's draw with Newcastle means the deficit at the top has been reduced to seven points, but Arsenal were usurped by Chelsea in the table thanks to their 5-1 mauling of Southampton.
Gabriel out, no problem. What a performance from Kiwior, probably his best.
I’ve said before he’s a LCB and when played there that’s where we’ll see the best of him. pic.twitter.com/T6ZWOn8LwJ
— Ben Mattinson (@Ben_Mattinson_) December 4, 2024
Ruben Amorim's visitors did a fine job of taming the Gunners during a dull opening 45 minutes, but Arsenal's increased verve and intensity after the restart proved too much for the Red Devils to handle.
William Saliba and Declan Rice gave stellar performances, particularly in the second half, but those whoo stepped in to fill voids in defence also contributed to Wednesday night's victory.
A Zinchenko lapse in possession may have led to United's best moment going forward, but the Ukrainian otherwise offered stability and control. Kiwior, meanwhile, arguably produced his best performance in an Arsenal shirt since he joined the club last January. The boss was quick to praise the pair post-match.
"The way they train every single day and it’s not easy – for Jakub it was his first Premier League start, and it was Alex’s second [this season] after the first game here against Wolves. They both performed at the highest level against this kind of opposition, after not playing a lot, is very tough. So, very pleased and grateful for them," Arteta told arsenal.com.
Whether the pair have long-term futures in north London is another matter, but the duo stepped up in a tricky situation on Wednesday night. Given Arsenal's current injury woes at full-back and concerns over Riccardo Calafiori's knee, this might not be the last time we see either Kiwior or Zinchenko in a Premier League starting XI over the festive period.
However, there's hope that both Gabriel and Calafiori will be back in action on Sunday afternoon as the Gunners travel to Fulham, where they were beaten last season.
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