Hamstring Injury Could Rule Out Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhães For At Least A Month

Arsenal fearfulness that Gabriel Magalhães could beryllium retired of action for astatine slightest a period aft he sustained a thigh wounded connected world work past week, pinch nan Brazil defender expected to miss a important portion of nan play for nan Premier League leaders.

Gabriel limped disconnected during Brazil’s 2-0 triumph against Senegal successful a friends astatine nan Emirates Stadium connected Saturday and returned to nan nine for much tests this week aft it was confirmed he had sustained a musculus wounded successful his correct thigh.

The tests are understood to beryllium continuing and Arsenal person yet to corroborate really agelong nan influential 27-year-old will beryllium absent, though he is not expected to beryllium disposable for nan northbound London derby against Tottenham connected Sunday aliases nan Champions League gathering pinch Bayern Munich 3 days later.

There are concerns that Gabriel could miss astatine slightest a period aliases perchance longer, depending connected nan severity of nan injury. That would besides norm him retired of Premier League fixtures against Chelsea and Brentford astatine location and Aston Villa away, arsenic good arsenic nan Champions League lucifer astatine Club Brugge connected 10 December. Mikel Arteta’s broadside – who person a four-point lead complete Manchester City – past look Wolves astatine location earlier their rearranged travel to Everton connected 20 December.

It would beryllium a important rustle to Arsenal’s title situation to suffer a subordinate who has played each infinitesimal of nan Premier League campaign, particularly fixed Gabriel’s value to a defence that has conceded conscionable 5 goals successful 11 games and had kept 8 consecutive cleanable sheets successful each competitions earlier nan 2-2 tie astatine Sunderland.

Cristhian Mosquera and his chap caller signing Piero Hincapié are successful nan framework to switch Gabriel against Spurs. There are besides concerns astir whether Viktor Gyökeres will beryllium backmost to lead nan line, aft nan £64m striker missed Arsenal’s last 2 matches earlier nan world break because of a hamstring injury.

Viktor Gyökeres (centre) missed Arsenal’s last 2 matches earlier nan world break and is not definite to return this weekend. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA

The Germany manager, Julian Nagelsmann, revealed connected Tuesday that Kai Havertz has knowledgeable what he described arsenic a “minor relapse” during his betterment from a knee wounded aft Arteta had been hopeful that nan striker could return this weekend. “But overall, he’s doing well,” Nagelsmann said. “He is expected to return towards nan extremity of nan year.”

Arsenal’s pursuit of Liverpool past play was undermined by a succession of injuries and they spent much than £250m connected reinforcements successful nan summer. But pinch Martin Ødegaard, their captain, besides connected nan absentee database on pinch Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli, their squad is being stretched to nan limit.