'Absolutely embarrassing!' - Gary Neville slams Arsenal star Gabriel for 'play-acting' during Premier League victory over Liverpool

Gary Neville has strongly criticised Arsenal defender Gabriel for his embarrassing play-acting during a vital Premier League victory over Liverpool at Anfield. The Brazilian went down clutching his face following a minor collision, prompting a fierce response from the former Manchester United captain on commentary.

Gabriel criticised for Anfield theatrics

Neville has accused Gabriel of embarrassing play-acting during Arsenal’s Premier League victory over Liverpool. Mikel Arteta’s side secured a vital 1-0 win at Anfield to move three points clear at the top of the table.

The controversy occurred in the opening minutes of the tense encounter following a physical collision between the Brazilian defender and Liverpool striker Alexander Isak. Gabriel immediately went down holding his face and appealed to referee Andy Madley for a foul.

However, television replays quickly exposed the true nature of the incident involving the Arsenal centre-back. The footage clearly showed that Isak’s arm had only made contact with Gabriel’s upper chest rather than his face.

Neville tears into the defender

Neville was far from impressed with the theatrical reaction and voiced his frustration on Sky Sports commentary. The former United defender believes Gabriel must permanently remove this behaviour from his game.

“He does let himself down at times,” Neville stated. “I love his fire, his passion and his tenacity. But there’s a push into his upper chest and he goes down holding his face.”

Neville continued his assessment with a blunt final verdict on the Anfield incident. He added: “It’s absolutely embarrassing. He needs to stop doing that.”

Arsenal secure a massive away victory

Despite the early controversy, Kai Havertz scored the only goal of the game after 16 minutes to seal all three points. The narrow defeat was a bitter blow for Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool, who remain fifth in the table and outside the Champions League places.

Neville was quick to praise Arsenal for their resilience and tactical discipline following the final whistle. He highlighted the sheer magnitude of securing a clean sheet at such a notoriously difficult venue.

“It was a defensive masterclass from Arsenal,” Neville explained. “Andoni Iraola will be upset, he will feel like his team have given everything, but they put themselves right in the driving seat.”

European football returns for both clubs

Arsenal must quickly shift their focus away from domestic matters as they prepare for a midweek European away trip. Arteta’s men travel to the Czech Republic to face Slavia Prague in the Champions League, hoping to extend their excellent run of form.

Liverpool also return to Champions League action in the coming days as they desperately look to bounce back from this frustrating league disappointment. Iraola will take his squad to Turkey for a highly challenging fixture against Fenerbahce.