Paul Merson admits Gabriel's winner for Arsenal at Tottenham should not have stood

Former Arsenal star Paul Merson argued Gabriel Magalhaes' winner for the Gunners against Tottenham should have been chalked off for an earlier foul by the defender.

Gabriel scored the only goal of the game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, heading home Bukayo Saka's corner in the 64th minute. It sealed a crucial win for Mikel Arteta's side, who shook off the absence of Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard to come away with all three points.

Merson was in the Sky Sports studio for the game, along with former Tottenham striker Les Ferdinand. And, despite their one-time club rivalries, the pair both agreed the goal shouldn't have stood.

The reason for that feeling? Gabriel found space inside the Spurs area before heading home, and there was a sense he only did so thanks to an illegal push on opponent Cristian Romero, though both accepted the Argentine needed to be stronger himself.

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"I'd be disappointed if I didn't get a foul," Merson said. "He's in the wrong position, everything is wrong about his defending.

"He's a centre half international, even I know and I don't even play at the back you got to be side on. You got to see the ball and your player. To start off you have to be a hand length away and he's standing with him. I'd expect a foul."

"I think if a centre forward does that, the referee gives a foul against him," Ferdinand said. "They don't even look at it . He does need to be stronger. It's poor defending but he does get a shove in his back."

Should Gabriel's goal have been disallowed? Have your say in the comments section

Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou had no complaints about the legality of the winner, but was still left frustrated by his own team's lapse in concentration. The defeat leaves his team down in 13th, having picked up just four points from four games so far.

"I thought it was a tight game all the way along. we controlled it for the most part and got off to a good start," Postecoglou told Match of the Day. "We didn't capitalise on the opportunities and we were unable to get on top of them.

"We lost concentration [for the goal]. We've got some big guys in there who really attack the ball and we just switched off for a second.

"I think I've said my piece. For the most part we controlled the game today, had good territory and possession but we didn't make the most of it and we got punished."

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