Arsenal’s fixtures after the international break—Mikel Arteta’s side will face Tottenham Hotspur, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea in succession.
Arsenal are anxiously awaiting the injury assessment results of Brazilian centre-back Gabriel. The Gunners defender was forced off in the second half due to a muscle problem during Brazil’s international friendly against Senegal at the Emirates Stadium.
Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti named Gabriel in the starting lineup, but the Arsenal star had to be substituted in the 64th minute, helped off the pitch by Brazil’s medical staff. Ancelotti revealed after the game: “Is it serious? I’m not sure. He (Gabriel) has adductor muscle discomfort, and the medical team needs to conduct a detailed examination tomorrow.” The manager added after Brazil’s 2-0 win over Senegal: “We’re very sorry about this. When a player gets injured, I always hope they recover smoothly.”
With the Premier League title race set to resume, Arsenal face a crucial test. If Gabriel is sidelined for more than a week, he will miss the North London Derby against Tottenham Hotspur on November 23. A two-week absence would see him sit out the vital Champions League clash with Bayern Munich on November 26 and the key Premier League away game against Chelsea on November 30.
A three-week layoff: He will miss back-to-back Premier League matches against Brentford and Aston Villa.
A four-week absence: He will be unavailable for the Champions League away fixture against Club Brugge and the Premier League game against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
A long-term injury: He may miss the busy Christmas schedule, including three Premier League matches against Everton (December 20), Brighton (December 27) and Aston Villa (December 30), plus the EFL Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace before Christmas.
Gabriel’s potential absence would be a heavy blow to Mikel Arteta – the Brazilian has been pivotal in forging Arsenal’s solid defence this season, including seven consecutive clean sheets. Arsenal’s lead in the Premier League has now narrowed to 4 points (after drawing with Sunderland and Manchester City beating Liverpool). Fortunately, there is rotation cover in defence, with Cristhian Mosquera, Piero Hincapie and Ben White all capable of playing at centre-back.
