Mikel Arteta faces an anxious wait over the health of 4 defenders forward of subsequent week’s Champions League quarter-final first leg in opposition to Actual Madrid.
The Gunners have been boosted by the return of Bukayo Saka, who scored solely seven minutes into his Arsenal comeback, however they misplaced Gabriel Magalhaes to an obvious hamstring damage.
The Brazilian defender was substituted simply 16 minutes into the sport after pulling up whereas sprinting again in the direction of his personal objective. The centre-back was seen grimacing as he laid on the turf clutching the again of his proper leg, and was subsequently changed by Jakub Kiwior.
In the meantime, Jurrien Timber was pressured off with a knee damage through the 2-1 win over Fulham on the Emirates Stadium.
Emile Smith Rowe took on his former team-mates on the Emirates
There are additionally issues over the health of Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori, who each missed the sport in opposition to Fulham, leaving Arteta with a possible defensive damage disaster simply days away from the essential conflict with Actual on the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.
On the accidents to his defenders, Arteta mentioned: “Gabi felt one thing in his hamstring. We do not know the way huge that’s and with Jurrien as nicely. He was already struggling very early within the recreation. He managed to proceed, in some unspecified time in the future he could not. So that is the draw back to it.
FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Arsenal’s win in opposition to Fulham within the Premier League.
“The great factor is that it has been like this the entire season. How we now have managed to be the place we’re with all these accidents, Ben White hasn’t participated in any respect this season. It is what it’s.
“You’ll be able to think about with these 4 gamers within the defensive position in a single week. So Calafiori, Ben White, Jurrien and Gabriel. We’ve got nonetheless one other 4 which might be so prepared that they’ll do their job. We wish it a lot that we will give it an actual go and we’re very excited for the following week.”
Mikel Arteta reacted to Arsenal’s 2-1 win in opposition to Fulham which noticed Bukayo Saka return from damage and rating shortly after approaching from the bench, however the end result was overshadowed by a regarding damage to Gabriel.
Arsenal have already suffered hamstring accidents to Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz this season.
Saka returned to the bench for Tuesday’s league recreation however Arteta has been left to rue contemporary defensive blows forward of an important interval.
Evaluation: Accidents bitter Arsenal’s profitable evening
Sky Sports activities’ Nick Wright:
Saka’s objective, scored with solely his fifth contact, seven minutes after his introduction, offered a second to savour for the house followers however Gabriel’s withdrawal, and that of Timber later within the recreation, solid a shadow over their evening.
Gabriel, whose partnership with William Saliba has change into a serious asset to Arsenal, seemed despondent as he limped across the pitch and down the tunnel. His absence in opposition to Actual Madrid could be a major blow to Arsenal’s Champions League possibilities.
It seems simply the most recent in a sequence of hamstring accidents for Mikel Arteta’s facet. The Gunners will hope Gabriel’s damage isn’t as extreme as these of Saka, who missed three months, and Kai Havertz, who was dominated out for the season after breaking down in February.
Timber’s enforced substitution, having suffered a knock to his knee within the first half, added one other fear for Arteta, who rued the potential lack of 4 defenders within the area of some days, with White and Calafiori additionally absent.
How lengthy may Gabriel be out?
Arsenal will likely be desperately hoping Gabriel’s hamstring damage isn’t as extreme as these suffered by Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz earlier this season.
However even a grade one hamstring damage, a pressure or pull the place few muscle fibres are broken, can take two to 3 weeks to heal.
Gabriel needed to stroll off through the recreation in opposition to Fulham after struggling what gave the impression to be a hamstring damage.
That size of absence may nonetheless rule Gabriel out of each legs of Arsenal’s Champions League double-header in opposition to Actual Madrid.
A grade two or three hamstring damage means a tear to the muscle and often ends in months quite than weeks on the sidelines, an eventuality which may rule Gabriel out for the remainder of the season, like Havertz.
Each Havertz and Saka required surgical procedure, with Saka solely returning to the squad for the primary time on Tuesday evening having suffered his damage in December.
Arsenal face Everton and Brentford within the Premier League both facet of subsequent week’s first leg conflict in opposition to Actual Madrid on April 8. The second leg takes place on April 16.
Arteta: Saka lifted the stadium
Bukayo Saka marked his much-anticipated Arsenal return with a objective
The massive optimistic of the evening for Arsenal, nonetheless, was the return of Saka.
Saka scored on his damage comeback in opposition to Fulham on the Emirates, ending his 101-day absence when he got here off the bench shortly after the hour mark.
The England worldwide was on the pitch for simply seven minutes when he doubled Arsenal’s benefit earlier than going to the dugout to embrace a member of the membership’s medical workers through the celebrations.
“I feel an attractive second to see how a lot our individuals love, respect and admire Bukayo,” Arteta mentioned. “He is not a shock to any of us and I feel one of the best instance is his response. Instantly after scoring a objective, what does he do?
“He goes and says thanks for all of the laborious work that every one the sports activities science guys, physios and everyone concerned within the restoration have completed for him to have the ability to be within the situation that he’s. I feel he lifted the stadium, the power and nice to have him again.”
Tim Sherwood analyses Arsenal’s efficiency in opposition to Fulham, the place Bukayo Saka scored upon his return from damage.
Saka, Martinelli supply positives amid Arsenal’s damage woes
Sky Sports activities’ Nick Wright on the Emirates Stadium:
Saka solely wanted seven minutes to mark his return to motion with a objective. His close-range header from Gabriel Martinelli’s flick proved decisive in Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Fulham.
The 23-year-old, making his first look since December following his hamstring damage, had been given a rapturous reception when he emerged instead however the celebrations which adopted his objective have been one thing else. “He lifted the power within the stadium,” mentioned Arteta.
Saka seemed sharp and so did Matinelli, whose acrobatic flick from Mikel Merino’s cross to arrange Saka’s objective was certainly one of 5 possibilities created within the recreation. No person else created greater than two. Fulham struggled to comprise him on Arsenal’s left flank.
Like Saka, Martinelli has endured damage issues this season, however his return to kind, coupled with the return of Saka, who now has a mixed complete of 23 objectives and assists in 25 video games for Arsenal this season, ensures a rise in firepower for the challenges forward.
