Manchester City were given a title boost on Saturday evening.placeholder image
Manchester City were given a title boost on Saturday evening. | Getty Images
Manchester City have been given a title boost by some injury news over the international weekend
Manchester City kept their title hopes alive as Pep Guardiola’s side beat champions Liverpool 3-0 last time out to go to within four points of Arsenal at the top of the Premier League.
With 27 matches still to go and a clash with the Gunners at the Etihad to come in April, there is still a long way to go in this title race and Mikel Arteta’s side have secured nothing yet.
The first time Arteta surrendered the title to Guardiola came in 2022/23, when Arsenal led the top flight for the majority of the season before being pipped to the post by the eventual Treble winners.
It was an injury to key defender William Saliba which played a role in the Gunners’ downfall that year - and City fans will hope that the north London leaders might see a recent injury concern derail their season to the advantage of the Cityzens once again.
Arsenal blow as Gabriel goes off injured for Brazil
Arsenal were dealt a major blow when key man Gabriel was forced off with an injury in the 64th minute while playing for his native Brazil, as the Selecao beat Senegal 2-0 in a friendly with World Cup qualification already secured. If the 27-year-old were to spend time out on the sidelines due to the effects of a friendly it would be a huge concern for Arteta, but it could all play right into the hands of City.
Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti said immediately following the match: "Bad? I don’t know, he had a problem on his adductor the medical staff have to check tomorrow," Ancelotti told football.london. "We are really sorry for this, really disappointed, when players have an injury I hope they can recover well and soon.”
Ancelotti’s apology indicates a concession that there is a chance Gabriel’s injury may not be a good one. Both Arsenal and City fans will be waiting nervously for the results from medical tests in the coming days, though for differing reasons, of course. It goes without saying that Gabriel is an essential part of Arsenal’s strong defensive unit and in both boxes, arguably one of the only players in their starting XI whom they would struggle to replace.
‘Leader’ Gabriel would be a big miss for Gunners as City aim to mount title push
Gabriel has come on massively in recent years, developing into an irreplaceable part of Arteta’s side and an example to be followed on the pitch. His contributions in both penalty areas are the true defining element of his game, particularly as the Gunners become more adept at corners and set-pieces.
Tony Cascarino said of Gabriel on The Game Football Podcast in August: “Well, I think, Gabriel’s big. They need him back for Arsenal because he’s big. I think Gabriel is massive for them because I just think he’s that type of leader, captain. I know he’s not the captain, but he performs like one.”
If the Gunners are to be without Gabriel for key upcoming fixtures against the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Aston Villa, this could be the perfect opportunity for City to get a run of results together to steal the lead in the title race ahead of Christmas - and we know from previous seasons that once Guardiola’s side get a run together and are in full flow, they can prove very difficult to stop.
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