Rooney says Arsenal defender Gabriel was lucky to avoid red card against Chelsea

Wayne Rooney believes Arsenal defender Gabriel was “very fortunate” to stay on the pitch during his side’s 2-1 Premier League victory over Chelsea on Sunday.

The former Manchester United forward said Gabriel should have been sent off after only five minutes, following an incident in which the Brazilian appeared to kick Chelsea goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez in the head.

The challenge caused significant distress for Martinez, who was left in considerable pain and required medical attention. Several Chelsea players reacted angrily to what they considered a serious incident inside the penalty area.

However, referee Chris Kavanagh did not show Gabriel a red card. His view was obstructed by the congestion and confusion in the box, while the video assistant referee did not advise him to review the footage on the pitch-side monitor.

Rooney discussed the incident during BBC’s Match of the Day programme, explaining that its seriousness was clearer when viewed in slow motion.

“You don’t notice it at first, but when you watch the replay and slow it down, you can see it better,” Rooney said.

As reported by the English newspaper Metro, he added: “Martinez was holding the ball, so Gabriel kicked him in the head, then lifted his leg and jumped high. He was very fortunate to stay on the pitch.”

The former England striker’s comments focused on the timing and nature of Gabriel’s action, which came just minutes after the match began. Although the referee did not initially punish the Arsenal defender with a dismissal, Rooney felt the replay showed enough to merit a red card.

The incident became a major talking point during Arsenal’s win, particularly because the contact involved the goalkeeper’s head and left Martinez needing treatment. Chelsea players’ anger underlined the intensity of the reaction on the pitch, but no further review was ordered by the VAR team.

Arsenal ultimately secured a 2-1 victory against Chelsea, with the result forming the wider context for Rooney’s post-match assessment. His analysis centred on whether Gabriel’s challenge should have changed the balance of the game by leaving Arsenal with 10 players from the opening stages.

The decision not to send off Gabriel was therefore the key point raised by Rooney, who has described the defender as fortunate to have remained involved in the match after the early collision with Martinez.