Chelsea icon John Terry has showered praise on Arsenal's defensive stalwarts Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba and Declan Rice, labelling the Gunners' backline as nearly 'impenetrable' ahead of Sunday's high-stakes North London derby against Tottenham.
Defensive Transformation Earns Rival's Admiration
The former England captain, speaking exclusively to talkSPORT, acknowledged Arsenal's remarkable defensive solidity this campaign, highlighting how the trio have been instrumental in Mikel Arteta's side establishing themselves as genuine title contenders. Arsenal currently hold a four-point advantage over Manchester City heading into this weekend's showdown at the Emirates Stadium.
Terry's admiration comes despite Arsenal's recent setback, where a last-gasp equaliser from Brian Brobbey saw Sunderland snatch a 2-2 draw just before the international break. This result marked only the third time Arteta's men have dropped points this season, with their sole defeat coming away to champions Liverpool.
Injury Blow Clouds Derby Preparations
However, Arsenal's build-up to the crucial Tottenham encounter has been marred by significant injury news. Gabriel Magalhaes, a cornerstone of their defence, sustained a groin injury while playing for Brazil against Senegal and could potentially be sidelined until January.
'Gabriel is a big miss, especially with these games coming up for Arsenal,' Terry stated. 'He's shown that he's been immense both in his own box and the attacking box this year as well. He's chipped in with a few goals from set-plays so he's going to be a big miss.'
The Brazilian centre-back's absence is particularly untimely given Arsenal's formidable fixture list, which includes the North London derby, a Champions League tie against Bayern Munich, and a trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea.
Chelsea's Inconsistency and Emerging Talent
Shifting focus to his former club, Terry addressed Chelsea's patchy form under Enzo Maresca but refused to count them out of the title race. 'Chelsea have shown a slight inconsistency this year,' he admitted, attributing it partly to the team's younger composition. Despite this, he remains confident they will be 'there or thereabouts' when the season concludes.
Terry also reserved special praise for Chelsea's teenage sensation, Estevao, who has scored four goals in his last eight appearances while filling in for the injured Cole Palmer. He described the 18-year-old Brazilian as an 'absolute superstar' but emphasised the importance of managing his integration into the first team carefully.
Nevertheless, Terry made it clear that Chelsea are eagerly awaiting Palmer's return. 'The sooner he's back fit, the stronger we are as a starting XI and a squad as well,' he added, suggesting a frontline featuring both Palmer and Estevao would make for a 'dangerous-looking side.'
With local pride and vital Premier League points on the line, all eyes will be on the Emirates this Sunday to see if Arsenal's defence, even without Gabriel, can live up to Terry's formidable billing against their arch-rivals.
