Arsenal are dealt a huge blow in their efforts to reel in Liverpool in the Premier League with the news that Gabriel Maghalaes's season is over through injury
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Gabriel of Arsenal looks dejected as he leaves the pitch after picking up an injury during clash with Fulham
Gabriel of Arsenal looks dejected as he leaves the pitch after picking up an injury during clash with Fulham
(Image: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Arsenal have been dealt a huge blow in their efforts to reel in Liverpool in the Premier League title race with the news that Gabriel Maghalaes's season is over through injury. The Brazil centre-back has played 28 times for the Gunners but was forced off in the 2-1 win over Fulham on Tuesday night with a hamstring issue.
After undergoing initial scans on Wednesday, Arsenal have now confirmed Gabriel will be forced to go under the knife, breaking up his influential partnership with William Saliba for the remainder of the campaign.
A statement on Arsenal's official website read: "Further to being substituted during our match against Fulham on Tuesday, we can confirm that Gabriel Magalhaes has sustained a hamstring injury which requires surgery.
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"Gabi will undergo a surgical repair procedure to his hamstring in the coming days, and immediately begin his recovery and rehabilitation programme, with the aim to be ready for the start of next season.
"Everyone at the club will be fully focused on supporting Gabi to ensure he is back to full fitness as soon as possible."
It means Gabriel will miss the visit to Anfield next month - which will now be played on May 11 - and the news will come as a major setback for Mikel Arteta as he aims to mastermind what would be a famous comeback in the title race against Arne Slot's leaders.
Liverpool's 1-0 victory in Wednesday's Merseyside derby, thanks to Diogo Jota's winner, saw them restore their 12-point gap over Arsenal after Arteta's men had temporarily reduced the deficit to nine the previous evening.
Next up for Arsenal is a trip to Everton for Saturday's lunchtime kick-off and Gabriel has added to an injury list that already sees them head to Goodison Park without Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus and Riccardo Caliafiori, while there are doubts surrounding Jurrien Timber, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Bukayo Saka did return to action on Tuesday, however, scoring against Fulham in what was his first appearance since December 21 after also undergoing hamstring surgery.