Mikel Arteta had his defenders to thank once again as Arsenal fought tooth and nail to snatch all three points against Wolves on Thursday night.
The Gunners emerged from Molineux 1-0 victors thanks to Gabriel's winner after the centre-back prodded in from close range in the first half.
The visitors found themselves with their backs against the wall as Wolves ramped up their search for an equaliser and Gabriel Martinelli was sent off in the 69th minute for two bookable offences.
It was a battling performance which reaffirmed Arsenal have found the mettle and defensive steel they have sorely lacked in recent seasons.
Goalscorer Gabriel, 24, has come on leaps and bounds during his second season at the Emirates and Ben White, the 24-year-old summer arrival from Brighton, has complemented him perfectly.
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The two central defenders cost a combined transfer fee of £73million and they are living up to their price tags with a formidable record of 11 clean sheets in 19 starts alongside each other.
Gabriel and White have forged the finest partnership Arsenal have had since the days when Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny marshalled the backline - something seldom witnessed beyond the 2015/16 campaign.
Of course, clean sheets are built on far more than centre-backs alone and the Gunners' other defensive assets deserve praise for their displays this season.
Cedric Soares deputised seamlessly for the injured Takehiro Tomiyasu at right-back against Wolves, while Nuno Tavares has provided competition for Kieran Tierney on the other flank.
Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has also been a revelation, proving his critics wrong since his arrival from Sheffield United last summer for an initial £24million.
During a cold night in the Midlands, an unlikely hero also stepped up when his team needed him in the form of Rob Holding. The Englishman was introduced following Martinelli's red card and made a remarkable nine clearances - three more than any other player - during his 19 minutes on the pitch.
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"Today he deserves a lot of credit," Arteta said of Holding's performance. "He was on the bench, he was ready to help. His attitude, his commitment to the team whether he plays every week or plays one minute, it's incredibly good.
"He's a really good influence for the rest. Today he really helped the team, the way he defended the box made a huge difference. Thanks to him we won the game."
With the Gabriel-White partnership in fine form and Holding in reserve, Arsenal's options in central defence appear to be the strongest they have been in many years.
