WELCOME TO KTNBIO

Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes suffered a major blow on Wednesday night as they were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw against Nottingham Forest. With the Gunners now trailing league leaders Liverpool by 13 points, frustration was evident among the players none more so than Declan Rice and Gabriel Magalhaes, who were seen locked in a heated exchange at full-time.

The intense discussion between the English midfielder and Brazilian defender caught the attention of TNT Sports cameras, with Rice gesturing and shouting at his teammate.

While the exact nature of the argument remains unclear, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta downplayed the situation, suggesting the pair were simply holding each other to higher standards.

“I really don’t know what they discussed,” Arteta admitted post-match. “I haven’t seen it. I walked to the referees and our supporters, so I missed it.”

Gabriel has been a crucial part of Arsenal’s defensive setup in recent seasons, forming a formidable partnership with William Saliba since arriving from Lille in 2019.

The 27-year-old’s aggressive and physical style has made him one of the most reliable centre-backs in the league.

Rice, on the other hand, was brought in from West Ham in the summer of 2023 as the final piece of Arteta’s puzzle. Despite his strong performances in midfield, he couldn’t help Arsenal overtake Manchester City in last season’s title race.

Interestingly, Rice has publicly praised Gabriel on multiple occasions, highlighting his strength and determination. “He’s so aggressive, so strong, never loses a duel,” Rice noted in an interview a year ago.

Later, he emphasized Gabriel’s underrated influence, stating, “Without him, we’d be in trouble.”

While emotions flared between Rice and Gabriel, Arsenal’s main issues in the Forest match weren’t in defense but in attack. With injuries plaguing their forward line, Mikel Merino was once again deployed as a makeshift striker but failed to make a significant impact.

With just 10 games left in the season, Arsenal faces an uphill battle to keep their fading title hopes alive. Whether Rice and Gabriel’s exchange was a sign of deeper frustrations or just competitive passion remains to be seenbut one thing is clear: the Gunners can’t afford to keep dropping points.