Arsenal are facing a number of injury issues ahead of their Champions League tie with Real Madrid and Mikel Arteta could be left with limited options when welcoming the Spanish giants
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Mikel Arteta has a number of injury concerns to deal with
Mikel Arteta has a number of injury concerns to deal with(Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Mikel Arteta has been left sweating over four defenders ahead of Arsena's Champions League clash against Real Madrid. The Spaniard saw two of his backline forced off against Fulham as Gabriel Magalhaes and Jurrien Timber were added to the Gunners' injury list.
Brazilian central defender Gabriel hobbled off with a hamstring injury before Timber suffered a knee issue and was unable to continue. Ben White was absent from Arteta's squad on Tuesday evening and is a major doubt for the European clash along with Riccardo Calafiori due to knee injuries.
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Arteta has admitted he is concerned over Gabriel. "Worried, because he never wants to come off and he had to," the 43-year-old said.
"He's not very sure about how big it is and what it is exactly but he felt that he could not contine. Yes he felt something there (hamstring), yes.
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"It depends (on facing Real Madrid ), it is a week there but I think I will say today the way he is normally... difficult but let's see."
"He was struggling, yesterday as well he wasn't at his best," Arteta added on Timber. "We lost Ben as well the day before, so he did a big effort to try to play and he could not continue."
Arsenal legend Ian Wright is even worried Gabriel's season could be over. "It is very concerning because for me, the way he’s pulled up, that’s not two weeks," he told Premier League Productions.
Gabriel of Arsenal
Gabriel looked dejected as he left the pitch(Image: Getty Images)
"That’s like six weeks at least, could be out for the season, depending what happens with Arsenal. But that’s a massive blow for us, with him and without him there’s a massive difference. He is someone that is vital to what Arsenal are doing."
The Gunners still have to come through a fixture against Everton unscathed but already Arteta finds his options limited. Arsenal welcome Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid to the Emirates in less than week.
While David Raya is likely to start in goal once again, Arteta's alterations versus Fulham perhaps hit at Arsenal's lineup. Thomas Partey slot into right-back in place of Timber and White, while Jakub Kiwior moved into the centre of the backline alongside William Saliba.
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Partey's presence in the backline could see Mikel Merino moved back into midfield to provide some physicality alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard. The alternative would be for Kieran Tierney to come into the side and Myles Lewis-Skelly to play in midfield.
Should Arteta opt to return Merino to his natural position however, Leandro Trossard would move into the front three as a result. The Spaniard will hope he can call on Bukayo Saka to start following his return, while Gabriel Martinelli will take the opposite flank.
Arsenal XI: Raya; Partey, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Odegaard, Merino; Saka, Trossard, Martinelli.
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