Arsenal defender Gabriel escaped punishment during his team's weekend victory over Chelsea and it wasn't the first time
Gabriel during Arsenal vs Chelsea
Gabriel avoided a red card when Arsenal beat Chelsea(Image: Getty Images)
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The fallout from Arsenal's victory over Chelsea has brought plenty of debate over a number of flashpoints. In addition to moments involving England internationals Declan Rice and Cole Palmer at either end, Gunners defender Gabriel received scrutiny for an early challenge involving visiting goalkeeper Emi Martinez.
Gabriel was attempting to find the net when his follow-through made contact with Martinez's head. Accidental or not, though, pundits Wayne Rooney and Ashley Young felt the centre-back was lucky to avoid a card – perhaps even a red one.
"Martinez has got the ball in his hands and Gabriel boots him in the head, he swings a leg and goes way over the top. He's extremely lucky to stay on the pitch," Rooney said on Match of the Day.
Young argued the Brazilian had "got away with one," expressing his surprise that VAR didn't get involved. It wasn't the first time Gabriel might consider himself fortunate to avoid a sending-off during an Arsenal game.
Manchester City vs Arsenal, April 2026
Gabriel was involved in a heated exchange with Manchester City striker Erling Haaland during a match at the Etihad Stadium in April 2026. The defender appeared to move his head towards the Norwegian, but the on-field decision of yellow cards for both players was allowed to stand after a VAR check.
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher described it as a fair outcome but recognised it could have gone another way. "Gabriel is very unwise what he does, it is not the cleverest thing to do and he runs a risk, but if you look, he actually goes does the front of him and not through him, he does not headbutt him," Gallagher said on Ref Watch.
"But he is very, very lucky that Haaland was very, very responsible because if he hits the deck, the whole landscape changes and the referee has a different situation to deal with," he added. However, ex-Arsenal striker Jay Bothroyd saw things differently.
Gabriel clashing with Erling Haaland
Gabriel escaped with a yellow after his clash with Erling Haaland(Image: Getty Images)
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"Gabriel was lucky - when we look at the rules, it is violent conduct if you put your head into someone's face, that was violent conduct and we have seen other people get sent off for that kind of movement towards someone's head,” Bothroyd said. What Haaland said is absolutely right - if he goes down holding his face there, he is going to get a red card and then he is banned for three matches."
Brentford vs Arsenal, February 2026
The trip to Brentford in February was another which brought a yellow card for Gabriel. However, he avoided a second booking for a foul on Dango Ouattara and Bees manager Keith Andrews made his feelings clear.
"It was a definite yellow," Andrews told TNT Sports at the time. "I just feel like the first few fouls always set the bar for how they referee the game, there’s always that level isn’t there and then it felt a few times in the first half we weren’t getting quite the rub of it."
Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown also felt Gabriel was lucky, saying: "I'm not even going to argue with that. There were enough yellows given out... and it felt like that was another one."
Newcastle vs Arsenal, September 2025
Nick Woltemade speaking to Jarred Gillett
Nick Woltemade thought referee Jarred Gillett should have shown Gabriel a red card(Image: Lee Parker - CameraSport via Getty Images)
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Early in the same season, Gabriel had another escape after a run-in with Newcastle forward Nick Woltemade. He swung an arm at the German but stayed on the pitch following the incident.
"He’s made the mistake for the goal, he’s fuming, and he’s obviously had a bit of a problem with [Woltemade], so he’s leaving a bit on him. You can’t do that," Jamie Redknapp said on Sky Sports.
"That should be a foul. It could be a sending off. It’s ridiculous, but everyone’s copying each other, all doing the same things, and it just causes a massive melee every single time."
Woltemade was also asked about the incident and suggested he might have been better off going to ground. "I felt his elbow in my face and I'm two metres [tall] so his arm has to be really high," he said.
"I don't want to fall down but I think maybe in this situation... I just said to the referee I felt something in my face and I think it's not right to feel something in your face. I'm not the type of player who will fall down for this but it's hard because sometimes maybe you have to do it."
Leeds vs Arsenal, October 2022
Gabriel facing off with Patrick Bamford during Leeds vs Arsenal in 2022
Gabriel's red card against Leeds was later downgraded to yellow(Image: Getty Images)
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As was the case against Chelsea on Sunday, Chris Kavanagh was the referee when Arsenal travelled to Elland Road in October 2022. That's where the similarity ends on the red card front, though.
Kavanagh initially pointed to the penalty spot, showing Gabriel a red card after a clash with Leeds striker Patrick Bamford in the area. However, the decision was reversed after a VAR check, with Bamford ruled to have fouled his opponent first, and Gabriel's red was changed to a yellow.
The initial red card was believed to have been awarded for the denial of a clear goalscoring opportunity. That no longer applied with the penalty overturned, though some still wondered whether the kick out was worth a red on its own.
Man Utd vs Arsenal, November 2020
Going even further back in time, we arrive at an incident from Gabriel's very first season in English football. The centre-back was booked against Manchester United but some argued he should have seen red after a foul on Mason Greenwood.
"How is that not a red card for Gabriel? He’s fouled Greenwood twice in the one play," one fan wrote. "Gabriel should have had a red and got spun by Greenwood," argued another.
While Gabriel escaped a red card on that occasion, he was dismissed for the first time in his Arsenal career the following month. He picked up two yellow cards in quick succession against Southampton, with Mikel Arteta suggesting he had intended to substitute the player before his second booking.
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