Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has issued an important injury update on Gabriel Magalhães after the Brazilian was substituted at half-time during the Gunners’ 5-2 win over West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday.
After back-to-back wins in the last week, first a 3-0 triumph at home to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League and then a 5-1 trashing of Sporting CP in the UEFA Champions League League Phase on Tuesday, few expected Arsenal to struggle against the Hammers.
Arsenal could have hardly lived up to these expectations more, after emerging as 5-2 victors, but the resounding result was somewhat marred by the half-time substitution of Gabriel – who was taken off due to an apparent injury.
West Ham United goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski accidentally punches Gabriel of Arsenal to concede a penalty (Image credit: Getty Images)
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Arteta has now provided more insight on the reason behind Gabriel’s early substitution, confirming that the Brazilian had an injury concern: “It was related to the previous injury that he had in Lisbon [during the game against Sporting CP]. With the niggle that he’s feeling we decided to take him off.”
As Arteta alluded to, Gabriel was also substituted with an injury concern during the Champions League game against Sporting CP, with reported discomfort.
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As well as scoring his side’s opening goal, Gabriel also won the penalty which Bukayo Saka converted to put Arsenal 4-0 up just moments before half-time – after former Arsenal goalkeeper Łukasz Fabiański inadvertently punched the 26-year-old in the face – causing him to fall to the ground.
Despite this, he was not substituted under the Premier League’s concussion protocol, and Arteta’s comments during his post-match press conference further confirm that this was not the reason behind his substitution – as it was instead a similar issue to the reason he did not complete the Sporting CP game.
With tough games against Manchester United in the Premier League and AS Monaco on the horizon, Arsenal will be desperately hoping that their star defender is fit, and not sidelined by any potential injury.
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