Mikel Arteta faces an anxious wait over the health of 4 defenders forward of subsequent week’s Champions League quarter-final first leg in opposition to Actual Madrid.
The Gunners had been boosted by the return of Bukayo Saka, who scored solely seven minutes into his Arsenal comeback, however they misplaced Gabriel Magalhaes to an obvious hamstring damage.
The Brazilian defender was substituted simply 16 minutes into the sport after pulling up whereas sprinting again in the direction of his personal objective. The centre-back was seen grimacing as he laid on the turf clutching the again of his proper leg, and was subsequently changed by Jakub Kiwior.
In the meantime, Jurrien Timber was pressured off with a knee damage in the course of the 2-1 win over Fulham on the Emirates Stadium.
There are additionally issues over the health of Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori, who each missed the sport in opposition to Fulham, leaving Arteta with a possible defensive damage disaster simply days away from the essential conflict with Actual on the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.
On the accidents to his defenders, Arteta mentioned: “Gabi felt one thing in his hamstring. We do not know the way massive that’s and with Jurrien as effectively. He was already struggling very early within the sport. He managed to proceed, in some unspecified time in the future he could not. So that is the draw back to it.
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Arsenal’s win in opposition to Fulham within the Premier League.
“The nice factor is that it has been like this the entire season. How we’ve managed to be the place we’re with all these accidents, Ben White hasn’t participated in any respect this season. It is what it’s.
“You can imagine with those four players in the defensive line in one week. So Calafiori, Ben White, Jurrien and Gabriel. We have still another four that are so willing that they will do their job. We want it so much that we’re going to give it a real go and we are very excited for the next week.”
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Mikel Arteta reacted to Arsenal’s 2-1 win in opposition to Fulham which noticed Bukayo Saka return from damage and rating shortly after approaching from the bench, however the outcome was overshadowed by a regarding damage to Gabriel.
Arsenal have already suffered hamstring accidents to Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz this season.
Saka returned to the bench for Tuesday’s league sport however Arteta has been left to rue contemporary defensive blows forward of an important interval.
Evaluation: Accidents bitter Arsenal’s profitable evening
Sky Sports activities’ Nick Wright:
Saka’s objective, scored with solely his fifth contact, seven minutes after his introduction, supplied a second to savour for the house followers however Gabriel’s withdrawal, and that of Timber later within the sport, solid a shadow over their evening.
Gabriel, whose partnership with William Saliba has change into a significant asset to Arsenal, seemed despondent as he limped across the pitch and down the tunnel. His absence in opposition to Actual Madrid can be a big blow to Arsenal’s Champions League probabilities.
It seems simply the newest in a sequence of hamstring accidents for Mikel Arteta’s aspect. The Gunners will hope Gabriel’s damage isn’t as extreme as these of Saka, who missed three months, and Kai Havertz, who was dominated out for the season after breaking down in February.
Timber’s enforced substitution, having suffered a knock to his knee within the first half, added one other fear for Arteta, who rued the potential lack of 4 defenders within the area of some days, with White and Calafiori additionally absent.
How lengthy may Gabriel be out?
Arsenal shall be desperately hoping Gabriel’s hamstring damage isn’t as extreme as these suffered by Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz earlier this season.
However even a grade one hamstring damage, a pressure or pull the place few muscle fibres are broken, can take two to a few weeks to heal.
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Gabriel needed to stroll off in the course of the sport in opposition to Fulham after struggling what seemed to be a hamstring damage.
That size of absence may nonetheless rule Gabriel out of each legs of Arsenal’s Champions League double-header in opposition to Actual Madrid.
A grade two or three hamstring damage means a tear to the muscle and normally leads to months relatively than weeks on the sidelines, an eventuality which may rule Gabriel out for the remainder of the season, like Havertz.
Each Havertz and Saka required surgical procedure, with Saka solely returning to the squad for the primary time on Tuesday evening having suffered his damage in December.
Arsenal face Everton and Brentford within the Premier League both aspect of subsequent week’s first leg conflict in opposition to Actual Madrid on April 8. The second leg takes place on April 16.
Arteta: Saka lifted the stadium
Bukayo Saka marked his much-anticipated Arsenal return with a objective
The massive constructive of the evening for Arsenal, nonetheless, was the return of Saka.
Saka scored on his damage comeback in opposition to Fulham on the Emirates, ending his 101-day absence when he got here off the bench shortly after the hour mark.
The England worldwide was on the pitch for simply seven minutes when he doubled Arsenal’s benefit earlier than going to the dugout to embrace a member of the membership’s medical workers in the course of the celebrations.
“I think a beautiful moment to see how much our people love, respect and admire Bukayo,” Arteta mentioned. “He’s not a surprise to any of us and I think the best example is his reaction. Immediately after scoring a goal, what does he do?
“He goes and says thanks for all of the arduous work that every one the sports activities science guys, physios and everyone concerned within the restoration have achieved for him to have the ability to be within the situation that he’s. I feel he lifted the stadium, the vitality and nice to have him again.”
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Tim Sherwood analyses Arsenal’s efficiency in opposition to Fulham, the place Bukayo Saka scored upon his return from damage.
Saka, Martinelli supply positives amid Arsenal’s damage woes
Sky Sports activities’ Nick Wright on the Emirates Stadium:
Saka solely wanted seven minutes to mark his return to motion with a objective. His close-range header from Gabriel Martinelli’s flick proved decisive in Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Fulham.
The 23-year-old, making his first look since December following his hamstring damage, had been given a rapturous reception when he emerged in its place however the celebrations which adopted his objective had been one thing else. “He lifted the energy in the stadium,” mentioned Arteta.
Saka seemed sharp and so did Matinelli, whose acrobatic flick from Mikel Merino’s cross to arrange Saka’s objective was one among 5 probabilities created within the sport. No one else created greater than two. Fulham struggled to include him on Arsenal’s left flank.
Like Saka, Martinelli has endured damage issues this season, however his return to kind, coupled with the return of Saka, who now has a mixed whole of 23 objectives and assists in 25 video games for Arsenal this season, ensures a rise in firepower for the challenges forward.
