Rio Ferdinand slams ‘stupid and immature’ Gabriel for red card in Arsenal’s frustrating defeat

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Matt Verri1 January 2022

Rio Ferdinand heavily criticised Gabriel after the Arsenal defender was sent-off in his side’s 2-1 defeat to Man City.

The Gunners went in at half-time ahead, but a crazy few minutes saw Riyad Mahrez score from the spot before Gabriel was dismissed just minutes later.

The Brazilian was shown a yellow card after referee Stuart Atwell pointed to the spot following an on-field review, as Gabriel was seen scuffing up the penalty spot with his foot. Arsenal assistant Albert Stuivenberg revealed the centre-back was booked for something he said to Atwell.

Two minutes later, he brought down Gabriel Jesus on the halfway line and was given a second yellow to leave Arsenal with ten-men, with Rodri netting an injury-time winner.

Ferdinand slammed Gabriel’s decision-making, both to dig up the penalty spot and then to make such a rash challenge.

“This is stupid, this is immature, this is petulant,” Ferdinand told BT Sport.

“Penalty against your team - what do you think you’re achieving by that?

“From that point on, the stupidity enhances itself. He’s not a threat, he’s in the middle of the pitch and straight away after that incident you commit a silly foul like that.

“And then he’s in disbelief. I don’t understand it. In what world is there disbelief?”

The BT Sport pundit believes the two yellow cards prove that Gabriel is not yet ready to be one of the best centre-backs in the league.

“He’s got the red mist, he’s still thinking about the penalty,” Ferdinand said.

AP

“You’ve got to take emotions out of it. When you’re in the heat of battle, you won’t see Dias doing that. You won’t see a Virgil van Dijk do that - they calm the others around them. That’s what leaders do.

“He is the total opposite of that. Maybe it’s inexperience, but it’s something that the people behind the scenes at Arsenal really need to get a hold off.”

Joleon Lescott agreed with Ferdinand, and believes it will not be the last time that the Gunners are reduced to ten-men due to emotions getting the better of Gabriel.

“The worrying thing is that didn’t surprise us,” Lescott added.

“We’ve seen it before and that will continue to happen. He won’t not do that again. There will be periods in games where he’s so emotional and gets carried away with it.”

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