SETTABLOID

Arsenal could leapfrog Chelsea in the race to sign Alexander Isak if Roberto Olabe replaces Edu Gaspar. The 25-year-old striker has been heavily linked with a move to both the Emirates Stadium and Stamford Bridge as he continues to impress for Newcastle United.

Since returning from a broken toe injury, Isak has featured six times for the Magpies in the Premier League, scoring three goals and providing one assist. Despite his best efforts, the Sweden international has struggled to drag Newcastle into the top half of the table.

With the January transfer window on the horizon and Eddie Howe’s side some way off the Champions League qualification places, Isak faces a somewhat uncertain future at St James’ Park.

Edu has been placed on gardening leave, with Jason Ayto stepping into the role on a temporary basis. According to Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, Roberto Olabe has emerged as a ‘concrete candidate’ to replace the Brazilian.

The report states that the Real Sociedad chief has an ‘excellent relationship’ with Isak, who he signed for the Spanish club in July 2019. The Swede established himself as one of Europe’s most exciting young players in La Liga before joining Newcastle three years later.

Olabe sees his contract at the Reale Arena expire at the end of the season, making him available for free in the summer. While the 57-year-old may grant Arsenal an advantage in the race to sign Isak, the forward has insisted he’s ‘fully focused’ at Newcastle.

The Brazilian netted his third goal in 13 Premier League games on Saturday with yet another header for Arsenal in the 5-2 win over West Ham.

It came after the Arsenal No.6 also nodded another goal in during Tuesday’s 5-1 victory over Sporting CP in the UEFA Champions League, making it four goals across 19 appearances in all competitions for the South American.

At this rate, Gabriel Magalhaes is on track to net nine Premier League goals this season, but where would that leave the Brazil international in terms of the record books?

Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes has dropped a huge injury hint ahead of the Premier League clash against Manchester United having departed the win over West Ham at half time. The Brazil international endured a chaotic first 45 minutes as he scored from a corner, conceded two goals in the space of two minutes and then won a penalty.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Emerson brought the Hammers back into the game but Saka restored that three-goal margin just before the interval. Amazingly, no goals were scored in the second half with Arsenal able to claim all three points and move up to second before Chelsea and Manchester City play on Sunday.

While Arteta would have enjoyed the victory, even before the game had started, two injury blows emerged. Both Thomas Partey and Mikel Merino were absent from the matchday squad to face West Ham with Arteta able to explain their absences before the game.

“Unfortunately they both picked (up) an injury and the game came too early and they couldn’t be part of the squad,” he told Sky Sports. And two injury worries soon became three when Jakub Kiwior was out for the second half in place of Gabriel.

Many believed his withdrawal was because of a head injury as the penalty he won saw him fouled by Lukasz Fabianski with the West Ham goalkeeper punching him instead of the ball when trying to clear a corner. However, Arteta confirmed it was a very different reason which is perhaps more of a concern.

It is a wonderful gift for Arsenal to have a player who can produce a goal that has that sense of inevitability.

How the Brazilian was allowed to be left as a free man before heading in a near-post header to give Arsenal the lead was, if you’re of a Hammers persuasion, maddening. Thankfully, I am not, and able to enjoy the spoils of yet another headed goal from a corner.

Gabriel would be a nuisance as well in the build-up to the fifth goal, winning the penalty after receiving a smash from Lukasz Fabianski. His bravery in these situations whether under pressure, as he was in this instance, or not, as in the case of the first goal, should not be lost on anyone.

Both his goal involvements came at such a crucial time and this is far from it being the first time. Be it at Manchester City or Tottenham and other increasingly frequent examples, Gabriel is proving to be as important to this team as any of the top stars in Mikel Arteta’s plethora of talent.

Gabriel receiving that smash from Fabianski leading to Saka’s penalty conversion was perhaps the most important moment of the game. West Ham earned themselves a position that frankly no team should get when 4-0 down.

Of course, my mind was cast back to Newcastle and other ridiculous Arsenal instances of dropping leads. Four goals to the good and coasting, the threat of a comeback came as quickly as the Gunners’ third and fourth goals had arrived.

Arsenal sent a clear message to Liverpool and Manchester City by comfortably beating West Ham on Saturday evening.

Gabriel, Leandro Trossard, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka ensuring Mikel Arteta’s side came out 5-2 winners. Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Emerson did pull goals back for the home side but Arsenal managed to see the game out.

The result leaves Arsenal in second place in the Premier League, with the Gunners on 25 points having played 13 games. Liverpool, who face Manchester City on Sunday at Anfield, are six points ahead of Arsenal and have a game in hand.

Brighton are third while Man City are fourth, with both sides on 23 points. Man City would go ahead of Arsenal if they were to win against Liverpool on Sunday. Arsenal do have a decent goal difference, as well, with the Gunners on plus-12, while Liverpool are on plus-16.

Before the win over West Ham, Arteta admitted his side need to be near-perfect to catch Liverpool. When asked if Arsenal’s form needs to be perfect to finish ahead of Liverpool, Arteta said: “If they continue then that’s for sure, with the numbers they’re producing and the amount of games they’re winning.

Arsenal’s star defender Gabriel Magalhaes has performed Viktor Gyokeres’ iconic celebration despite controversy surrounding the decision in midweek.

The Gunners’ defender opened the scoring for Arsenal against West Ham United on Saturday evening with a brilliant header from a trademark set piece routine. After wheeling away to celebrate, Gabriel would then perform the Gyokeres celebration which sees him cover his face with both hands.

The Brazilian chose to pull this celebration out on Tuesday night when he scored to put Arsenal 3-0 up in midweek. Micah Richards would call out Gabriel after that match claiming he was mocking Gyokeres with his choice of celebration.

This decision was deemed even more controversial considering Gyokeres is a player currently linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium. It is no secret that Mikel Arteta wants to add a centre-forward to his squad and the Swede matched the profile of striker they wanted in the summer.

After discovering what Gabriel had done post-match, Gyokeres was less than pleased with the gesture. “He’s welcome to steal it if he can’t create his own celebration,” the striker told ViaPlay.

“I didn’t know he did that, but it’s fun he likes my celebration.” It is unclear whether Gabriel is performing the celebration as a tribute to Gyokeres or, as Richards believes, to mock him but should Arsenal want to sign the striker they will need to battle off some strong competition.

Arsenal scored five goals for the second time in a week as they beat West Ham 5-2 in the Premier League on Saturday. Gabriel Magalhaes, Leandro Trossard, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka were all on target with goals from Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Emerson for the Hammers, that looked to have started a comeback, merely consolations.

The Gunners headed into the London derby after dominating Sporting CP in the Champions League on Wednesday evening. Gabriel was a major injury doubt in the lead up to that game but he was named in the starting XI. Thomas Partey and Mikel Merino however, were not included in the matchday squad.

Despite starting, Gabriel was subbed off at half time with an injury. While that is a concern just a few days ahead of the Gunners’ Premier League clash against Manchester United, Arsenal head into that game at Emirates Stadium full of confidence.

As for Manchester City and Liverpool, they go head-to-head on Sunday afternoon with the outcome of that huge title clash likely to impact Arsenal.

December 4 vs Manchester United (H) at 8.15pm – Premier League

December 8 vs Fulham (A) at 2pm – Premier League

December 14 vs Everton (H) at 3pm – Premier League

December 21 vs Crystal Palace (A) at 5.30pm – Premier League

December 27 vs Ipswich Town (H) at 8.15pm – Premier League

Bukayo Saka made the surprising decision to let Martin Odegaard take a penalty that he earnt in the Premier League clash against West Ham. The Gunners made a blistering start at London Stadium with Gabriel Magalhaes and Leandro Trossard on target in the first half hour.

Mikel Arteta’s side then had a chance to grab a third from the penalty spot after Saka was brought down by Lucas Paqueta. Saka is Arsenal’s usual penalty-taker but he opted to hand the ball to captain Martin Odegaard. The Norway international subsequently slotted home from 12 yards with Kai Havertz adding a fourth moments later.

West Ham grabbed then grabbed two goals before half-time with both full-backs, in Emerson and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, scoring. With six goals in the opening 40 minutes, there was seemingly plenty to discuss at the interval but one of the big talking points involved Odegaard and Saka.

Allowing someone else to take a penalty has been done before by Saka with Odegaard and Kai Havertz both having been handed the ball to take a spot-kick. While it is not exactly clear why he did so, it was pointed out on Sky Sports that Odegaard was yet to score a league goal this season.

The main reason that Havertz was offered the chance to score from the spot away at Bournemouth was because he had not bagged a goal up to that point. Based on exactly that, it appears that was the reason Saka chose to give up his duties.

For the first 36 minutes Arsenal were in total control but Arteta would have been disappointed at how easily his side allowed the Hammers back into the game. The Gunners looked to be on their way to a convincing victory and thus a huge title statement but a tense second period is now on the horizon.