Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães has insisted the focus inside the dressing room remains firmly on their own results after the Gunners’ victory over Brighton, even as talk of the title race intensified around them.
Speaking to ESPN Brazil reporter João Castelo Branco after the match, the Brazilian centre-back explained he only learned about Manchester City’s result once the final whistle had blown. Even then, he made clear that the squad’s mindset has not changed.
“I only found out just now,” Gabriel said when asked about City’s result in the same round. “They started talking about it on the pitch. But like I said, we have to focus on what we have to do, which is win our games.”
Arsenal have now strung together three consecutive victories, a run that continues to build momentum in the closing stretch of the season. For Gabriel, the message inside the squad is simple.
“We have to concentrate on ourselves and keep going the way we are. Now it’s three wins in a row, and of course we have to keep winning. That’s the most important thing.”
Performance versus results
Arsenal’s win over Brighton was not necessarily their most fluid display, yet it delivered another crucial three points. Gabriel admitted that perfection is not always possible over a long campaign, particularly in a league as demanding as the Premier League.
“I think not every game we will be perfect,” he explained. “The way we defend is very important. The most important thing is the three points.”
He added that analysis of the performance comes later, once the immediate pressure of the match has passed.
“Tomorrow we will see what we can do better. But today the three points were very important.”
Responding to Brighton comments
Another talking point around the game came from comments made by Brighton’s manager before kick-off, suggesting Arsenal take too long over set pieces such as throw-ins and corners.
Asked whether those remarks had any influence on the referee or the atmosphere in the stadium, Gabriel dismissed the suggestion outright.
“We don’t really care about what he says,” the Arsenal defender said. “That is for the referee to decide on the pitch. If he wants to give a yellow card or not, he decides the time we take. We just have to do things the way we are doing and keep going.”
Calm leadership in Arsenal’s title push
Gabriel Magalhães
Gabriel Magalhães
Gabriel’s comments reflect a theme that has become common inside Arsenal this season: calm and process over noise.
The Brazilian has grown into one of the defensive leaders of Mikel Arteta’s side. Alongside William Saliba, he forms one of the Premier League’s most reliable centre-back pairings.
His message after the Brighton win underlines the team’s mentality. Arsenal are not getting distracted by rival results, media narratives or opposition mind games.
Instead, the focus remains exactly where Gabriel put it: keep winning games, and let everything else take care of itself.