Arsenal hosts Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on December 27, 2025, at the Emirates Stadium. All eyes are on the fitness of key defender Gabriel Magalhaes. The Brazilian centre-back has been a cornerstone of the Gunners’ defence, but a hamstring injury has sidelined him for weeks with no news of his return in Arsenal Squad. Unfortunately for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal fans, Gabriel is not fit to feature in this crucial festive fixture.
The Nature and Timeline of the Injury
Gabriel incurred a hamstring thigh injury (the area that has sustained the injury) while playing for Brazil in the international friendly match against Senegal during the November international break at the Emirates Stadium. This forced him to miss the next nine games the club has played in all competitions. At 28 years old he is on an individual rehabilitation programme with ongoing pitch work. However he has not yet progressed to group training, the final element of his recovery, to return to competitive football.
Mikel Arteta’s Latest Update
In the pre match press conference on December 26, 2025 (Boxing Day), Arteta stated that he cannot yet confirm if Gabriel will be available for the match against Brighton. “We will have to wait and see regarding Gabriel’s availability for Brighton. Gabriel hasn’t trained yet he is still doing his rehab. However as soon as we can we want him back in because we are aware of the current defensive situation.”
There is already a high concentration of ‘uncertainties’ regarding other first team players in defence. These great concerns include other injured players (Ben White hamstring), Cristhian Mosquera (ankle) etc. Also, questions still hanging over Piero Hincapie (shoulder injury). For Arteta to have to avoid rushing Gabriel back due to concern for an increasingly congested fixture schedule is only another issue contributing to the current defensive disparity.
Impact on Arsenal’s Defence and Title Push
William Saliba, Gabriel’s partner in defence, has been an integral part of Arsenal’s recent success. These two players have played a key role in helping the Gunners achieve a league-leading defensive record over recent years. This led to many clean sheets and dominating the air in terms of attacking and defending. However, since Gabriel has been sidelined with injury, the Gunners have relied on rotating players such as Riccardo Calafiori, Jakub Kiwior and others. This has had some success in maintaining the team’s defensive stability and organisation. But it is missing Gabriel’s unique qualities of physicality and leadership.
Arsenal currently find themselves in first place in the Premier League. They are two points ahead of Manchester City. If they can defeat Brighton, they will further solidify their position prior to taking on Aston Villa and others. If the Gunners try to rush Gabriel back from injury to help with the title chase, they may risk putting themselves at a disadvantage in an already tight title race.
Expected Return and Positive Outlook
Sources indicate that while Brighton will be too early for him, Gabriel is nearing the end of his recovery period. There are a couple of scenarios regarding his return. It could occur as soon as December 30 against Aston Villa or early in January 2026. Based on Arteta’s comments, it appears to be a positive outcome with Gabriel’s commitment to his rehabilitation.
On a more positive news from Arsenal, Kai Havertz is expected to return in a few days after suffering a lengthy knee injury; he could add to our attacking options going forward.
Arsenal will not have their Brazilian centre back for Brighton this weekend. However, his return this new year may come at just the right time.
As featured on GoonerNews.com
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