09 September 2023 , 08:13
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Mikel Arteta will be cursing his luck as Arsenal may have been dealt another injury blow after Gabriel Magalhaes was on the end of a horror tackle while representing Brazil.
The former Lille defender has been an ever-present in the Gunners' starting line-up for the overwhelming majority of his Arsenal career but has found himself starting on the bench for three of the club's opening four Premier League games this term. Gabriel's first start of the campaign came during last Sunday's dramatic home win over Manchester United.
However, any momentum the Brazilian may have gained as a result of his stellar performance against the Red Devils could have been scuppered after Gabriel was the victim of an eye-watering challenge against Bolivia. The Selecao ran out 5-1 winners, but the Arsenal ace failed to last the full 90 minutes and was pictured with ice on his thigh after the game.
Within the opening five minutes of the clash, Gabriel was left in a heap on the floor after being struck in the chest by the right knee of Bolivia's Diego Ibanez. With a tricky trip to Everton awaiting Arsenal next weekend, Arteta will be anxiously awaiting an update on his defender.
Gabriel, if fit, is likely to start at Goodison Park next Sunday given he boasts the kind of physical presence required to deal with the strength and power the Toffees boast within their squad. If he isn't, Arteta will have to go back to the drawing board and construct a new plan.
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This isn't the first time an injury has threatened to derail Arsenal's start to the new league season, the Gunners have already had to deal with some key players being sidelined as a result of fitness issues. All three of Jurrien Timber, Mohamed Elneny and Thomas Partey are currently crocked.
In Elneny's case, the Egyptian picked up his injury long before the season's start - as far back as January of this year, a knee injury that required surgery and has kept him out of action ever since. However, the midfielder is on course to recover within the time frame club doctors expected.
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Gabriel Magalhaes was pictured on the bench with ice on his thigh before full-timeTimber's Arsenal career was just getting started before an anterior cruciate ligament injury ruled the Dutchman out for the majority of his debut campaign at the club. The former Ajax ace had enjoyed a positive pre-season but lasted just 48 minutes of the opening game against Nottingham Forest before needing to be replaced.
Like Elneny, Timber was forced to undergo surgery and is not likely to don the Arsenal shirt in competitive action again until late March at the earliest. As for Partey, the Ghanaian recently sustained a groin injury so severe it could keep the ex-Atletico Madrid man sidelined for huge games against the likes of Tottenham and Manchester City in the coming weeks.
If Arteta's Arsenal are to stand any chance of ending City's dominance this term and go one better than their second-placed effort last term, they'll need to keep their best players fit and firing.