The Gunners' Vital Center-Back Gabriel Faces no Less than Four Weeks with Thigh Problem

The North London club are concerned that defender Gabriel Magalhães could be sidelined for at least four weeks after picking up a muscle injury while playing for Brazil last week.

The Brazilian defender was forced off during Brazil's win against Senegal in a friendly at the North London venue on the weekend and has since gone back to his team for further assessments.

Medical tests are continuing, and Arsenal have yet to confirm the exact extent of the 27-year-old absence.

That said, he is unlikely to play for the upcoming North London derby on Sunday or the Champions League meeting with Bayern Munich just later.

Potential Absence and Key Fixtures

It is feared that Gabriel could be out for at least one month, perhaps more, depending on the nature of the issue.

That could rule him out of several vital games, including:

  • Premier League fixtures against Chelsea and Brentford at home
  • An road match to play Aston Villa
  • The European clash at Club Brugge on December 10th

Mikel Arteta's side—who currently hold a four-point lead over City—then face Wolves at home before a rescheduled trip to Goodison Park on 20 December.

Significant Blow for The Championship Bid

Being without Gabriel is a significant setback for Arsenal in their title challenge.

This center-back has featured in each minute of the Premier League season so far and is vital to a defense that has let in just five goals in 11 matches.

Before the latest 2-2 draw at Sunderland, the side had kept 8 consecutive shutouts in all competitions.

Cover Choices and Additional Fitness Concerns

Mosquera and fellow new signing Hincapié are likely candidates to fill in for the Brazilian against Spurs.

Additionally, there are concerns over whether forward Viktor Gyökeres will recover to play up front after missing the club's last two fixtures before the pause due to a hamstring injury.

In other news, German coach Nagelsmann stated that Kai Havertz has experienced a “slight setback” during his recovery from a joint injury.

While Mikel Arteta had been hopeful about the player's return soon, Nagelsmann suggested that Havertz is now expected to return towards the end of the year.

Squad Stretched to the Limit

Arsenal experienced their championship bid hurt previously by a series of injuries and spent heavily in the summer to reinforce the team.

But, with skipper Martin Ødegaard additionally on the injured list—alongside Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli—the squad is being stretched to the limit.

Ronnie Lyons
Ronnie Lyons

A seasoned gaming analyst with over a decade of experience in casino strategy and player psychology.