Arteta confirms double Arsenal injury blow with concerning Gabriel Jesus update
Arsenal have been hit with a major blow to striker Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian set to be out for a "few weeks."
The Brazilian striker picked up an issue during the Gunners' Champions League victory against Sevilla. He was withdrawn in the closing stages of the match and was set to undergo further testing.
He also did not take part in Thursday's training session and boss Mikel Arteta now expects to be without his services for the short term. Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday's clash with Sheffield United, t he Spaniard said: "The scans show there is a muscle injury and we might lose him for a few weeks again.
"With Gabi I cannot give you any time frame because he always surprises us. He felt something there, it was a really awkward action. It’s true that he had quite a lot of load in those games playing with the national team and with us which he hasn’t done in a long, long time. That’s really bad news for us."
Jesus, 26, has been blighted by injury issues since his move from Manchester City. He missed large swaths of last season with a knee injury, something that also sidelined him for the early parts of the current campaign.
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The Brazilian has made 44 appearances for the Gunners and scored 15 goals in all competitions. Eddie Nketiah looks the most likely to deputise for the time being. The Arsenal academy graduate has already made 13 appearances for the Gunners this term but only has two goals to his name.
Jesus is not the only first team star who looks to be out for an extended period. Arteta has also confirmed that Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey also faces stint on the sidelines with a muscular issue picked up in training.
Thomas Partey will also miss this weekend's clash with Sheffield United (Getty Images)Who should start up-front for Arsenal? Share your thoughts in the comments below
The Spaniard added: "He’s got a muscle injury and we expect him to be out for a few weeks. We don’t know the extent of it still, he has more tests today. He got that injury in training, with the last kick of the ball. Very unfortunate."
Like Jesus, Partey has been forced to deal with a number of issues since his arrival from Spanish giants Atletico Madrid. The 30-year-old has managed just four appearances in the Premier League this term due to a groin issue.
Following their clash with Sheffield United, Arteta's side face a testing run of fixtures. They at first take on West Ham in the Carabao Cup before a clash with Newcastle and the return game with Sevilla. Arsenal then host struggling Burnley ahead of the final international break of the calendar year.
The Arsenal boss has claimed that his squad simply does not have the depth to cope with the packed fixture list, hence the injuries beginning to take their toll. He said: "We will need more players. The players have a certain amount of energy. The battery lasts so long and we will burn them. We have to adapt."
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