BREAKING Arsenal star injured in Mikel Arteta nightmare as Gunners harm disaster deepens
Premier League frontrunners Arsenal have been dealt a significant injury blow as Gabriel Magalhaes was forced to leave the pitch while playing for Brazil.
The defender was in the starting line-up for Carlo Ancelotti’s team in their friendly match against Senegal at the Emirates Stadium. With Brazil leading 2-0 courtesy of goals from Estevao and Casemiro, Gabriel was injured just past the hour mark.
Pictures reveal the Arsenal defender leaving the field accompanied by the Brazilian medical team. He can be seen lifting his shirt to his face and then clutching his left groin area, suggesting that’s where the issue lies.
This injury will undoubtedly concern Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who already has several injury worries ahead of the Premier League’s return next weekend. The Gunners are set to face rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby on Sunday, November 23 at the Emirates Stadium.
Striker Viktor Gyokeres, winger Noni Madueke, forward Gabriel Martinelli and midfielder Martin Odegaard are all major doubts for the match. To add to their woes, it has been revealed that full-back Riccardo Calafiori has returned to Arsenal from the Italy camp due to an injury, reports the Mirror.
(Image: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images))
An injury to Gabriel would be another significant setback for the team. The defender has been instrumental in the side’s run of seven consecutive clean sheets.
This streak was ended in last weekend’s 2-2 draw with Sunderland. A late equaliser from the Black Cats meant that Arsenal had to settle for a single point.
Despite the setback, Arsenal still sit at the summit of the Premier League table. The Gunners have accumulated 26 points from their first 11 matches.
This puts them four points clear of closest challengers Manchester City, who have 22 points. Current champions Liverpool find themselves languishing in eighth position, having managed just 18 points from their opening 11 fixtures.
(Image: Getty Images)
After the clash with Sunderland, Arteta gave a candid assessment of his side’s display. “Obviously, the last feeling is disappointment and frustration because we wanted the three points,” he said.
“We have to navigate through a really tough game. We knew that, it was very disruptive. We have to deal with situations, obviously, that are difficult to deal with.
“They do it really well and we conceded a goal that is not in our standards. But after that, I think the team reacted really well, showed a lot of personality and courage. They scored the first goal, they scored the second goal and we totally dominated the game.
“You have to rely on defending the box when they start to commit six or seven players there. It can be from a direct play, it can be from a throw-in, it can be from any situation. We can defend the action better, and today we haven’t done it; we conceded the goal.
“And in the last minutes we have another massive chance with Ricky and Mikel to win, which I think we deserve to do. But it didn’t happen, but I think it shows what we’ve done in the last ten games.
“Winning them in the manner that we’ve done it, with clean sheets, missing seven players in the front line. So it shows you how difficult it is.”
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