NOT many central defenders in the world of football feel the urge to create a unique goal celebration.

Nevertheless, few rival the aerial ability of Arsenal’s Gabriel.

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The Brazilian center-back’s header in the 10th minute opened the scoring against West Ham at the London Stadium, marking his third Premier League goal this season and fourth in total across all competitions.

This brings his tally of headed goals to 12 in the league since his arrival in England in September 2020, leaving him just five behind Virgil van Dijk and Sami Hyypia on the all-time Premier League headed goals list.

While he still trails John Terry by 15 goals, it would be unwise to bet against Gabriel narrowing that gap by the season’s end, especially as the 26-year-old continues his journey in North London.

His latest goal—a flicked header from a Bukayo Saka corner during a dominant 5-2 win against a struggling Hammers side—was celebrated with a distinctive gesture, linking his fingers over his eyes.

This celebration debuted this season during a commanding 5-1 Champions League victory in Lisbon, leading to speculation that it was a playful nod to Viktor Gyokeres’ similar celebration, which involves covering his mouth instead.

However, replicating this act in East London may dismiss those theories.

Gabriel’s gesture appears to be a tribute to comic book legend Batman—a notion backed by Arsenal’s social media, which shared a superhero emoji shortly after his goal.

Fans can anticipate seeing that celebration more frequently in the upcoming weeks, particularly as Arsenal’s set-piece effectiveness has returned following a recent four-match winless streak, reigniting their title challenge.

Nevertheless, Gabriel’s teammates continue to have fun at his expense. Jorginho admitted, “We tease him about [the celebration], and he enjoys it too. It’s wonderful how much fun we’re having.”

After five different goal scorers in Lisbon, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal replicated this against West Ham, with Leandro Trossard, Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, and Saka all finding the net in the first half.

Aaron Wan Bissaka and Emerson managed to add goals at one point bringing it to 4-2, but the visitors’ comeback was short-lived.

Yet it was Gabriel’s name that stood out, being the last player to leave the pitch Saturday night, soaking in the admiration from the away fans while leading their chants.

His goal resulted from a strategically adjusted NFL-inspired tactic devised by set-piece coach Nicolas Jover, allowing Gabriel to roam freely at the back post while the rest acted as decoys.

It’s puzzling how West Ham allowed Arsenal’s primary threat an uncontested header. It’s hardly a secret where the ball is aimed—the corner-takers even signal towards Gabriel before delivering.

When asked how to counter Gabriel, Jorginho chuckled: “I’m not revealing any secrets! He’s exceptionally talented. It requires a concerted effort from the entire team. Everyone must do their part, and then he becomes a real threat.

Moment huge brawl breaks out in West Ham end with punches thrown and fan knocked to ground in London derby vs Arsenal

“He’s been immensely valuable to us.”

Arteta remarked: “The more [Gabriel scores], the more confidence grows. You can see it instantly in his body language and communication that he’s ready to score.

“Having various goal-scoring methods makes our team less predictable, forcing opponents to prepare for multiple scenarios. It’s beneficial for us.”

Some concerns remain over Gabriel’s fitness leading into the upcoming Premier League clash with Manchester United at the Emirates, as he was substituted at halftime as a precaution due to an existing muscular issue suffered in Lisbon.

Regardless, Arsenal enters the festive period looking impressive, having secured three consecutive victories across all competitions and scoring 13 goals in that stretch, including a 3-0 home win against Nottingham Forest.

Arteta’s squad also enjoys the advantage of not having to travel outside London for any matches until January 4.

Jorginho mentioned: “We’re currently riding a strong wave of momentum. We need to stay focused and continue pushing forward.

“As we bring players back from injury and have the full squad available, it significantly affects our performance. We’ve fixed what wasn’t working, and it now appears to be functioning well.”