Fulham manager Marco Silva has heaped praise on Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães, admitting the Brazilian was “impossible to stop” during the Cottagers’ 1–0 defeat at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
Arsenal extended their lead at the top of the Premier League thanks to Leandro Trossard’s second-half strike, which once again came from a well-executed set-piece routine — an area in which Mikel Arteta’s side continue to excel.
The decisive moment arrived in the 58th minute when Gabriel rose highest to flick on a corner, allowing Trossard to tap in at the back post. Despite Fulham’s disciplined defensive display for much of the game, they were undone by the Gunners’ aerial threat once again.
“Gabriel Jumps So High, It’s Impossible to Stop Him” – Marco Silva
Speaking to BBC’s Match of the Day after the defeat, Silva acknowledged that his side had executed their game plan well but simply could not handle Gabriel’s physical dominance in the air.
“When you lose a game, it is always disappointing,” Marco Silva said. “They were at a very good level. We did create chances to score before Arsenal, and we knew it was going to be a tough game. But I think we kept them away from big chances.”
“Gabriel jumps so high — it’s impossible to stop him. It’s very difficult to control,” Silva admitted. “The way we tried to block his run, we did it very well most of the game, but we were too open in that moment. Any flick is hard to control at the back post.”
Marco Silva Frustrated by Arsenal’s Set-Piece Power
In his post-match press conference, the Fulham boss expressed frustration at conceding from another set-piece but credited Arsenal’s consistency and quality in those situations.
“It’s frustrating — it’s hard to stop,” Silva said. “Arsenal have very good takers, and they’ve scored nearly 60 percent of their goals from set-pieces. That shows their power in those moments.”
He continued: “We were well prepared for that scenario, but you have to maintain focus for 90 or 95 minutes. We did a very good job overall, but in one moment we let Gabriel go with power. The way he jumped was very difficult to control.”
Arsenal Extend Lead at the Top
The victory keeps Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table, while Fulham will look to bounce back after another competitive but frustrating defeat. The Gunners could see their lead reduced to one point if Liverpool beat Manchester United on Sunday.
