Arsenal's Key Defender Gabriel Could Be Out for no Less than One Month with Thigh Injury
The North London club fear that defender Gabriel Magalhães might remain unavailable for at least 30 days after picking up a muscle injury while on international duty last week.
The Brazilian defender was forced off during Brazil's win against Senegal in a exhibition match at the Emirates Stadium on the weekend and has since returned to his club for further tests.
Club assessments are still underway, and Arsenal have not yet disclose the exact duration of the 27-year-old absence.
Nevertheless, he is not anticipated to feature for the upcoming clash with Tottenham on the weekend or the European meeting with the German giants just three days.
Possible Absence and Key Fixtures
Club sources worry that Gabriel could be out for a minimum of four weeks, possibly longer, based on the nature of the strain.
This would see him miss of several important games, like:
- Premier League fixtures against the Blues and Brentford at home
- An away match to play Aston Villa
- The European match at Brugge on 10 December
Mikel Arteta's team—that presently have a four-point advantage over Manchester City—then meet Wolves at home before a rescheduled fixture to Everton on 20 December.
Significant Setback for Arsenal's Championship Challenge
Losing Gabriel would be a major blow for the Gunners in their title challenge.
The defender has featured in every minute of the top-flight season so far and is crucial to a defense that has conceded only five times in 11 matches.
Prior to the latest tie at Sunderland, the side had recorded eight straight shutouts in every tournament.
Cover Choices and Additional Fitness Concerns
Mosquera and fellow new signing Piero Hincapié are in contention to fill in for Gabriel against Tottenham.
There are also concerns over whether forward Gyökeres will recover to play up front after missing Arsenal's last two fixtures before the pause due to a hamstring issue.
Meanwhile, German coach Julian Nagelsmann revealed that Havertz has experienced a “slight setback” during his comeback from a knee problem.
While Mikel Arteta had been hopeful about the attacker's comeback this weekend, the national team boss suggested that the German is now likely to return in late December.
Squad Tested to the Limit
The club experienced their championship bid hurt last season by a succession of injuries and invested heavily in the summer to reinforce the squad.
However, with captain Ødegaard additionally on the injured list—alongside Madueke and Martinelli—the team is under strain considerably.
