Arsenal learn extent of Gabriel injury suffered against Liverpool

Stapleford, Arsenal: After leaving Sunday's 2-2 tie with Premier League championship rivals Liverpool due to injury, Gabriel Magalhaes reportedly escaped with a catastrophic injury.

Gabriel went down at the Emirates Stadium nine minutes into the second half, adding to William Saliba's absence owing to a one-game ban for his red card against Bournemouth.

Upon hearing the final whistle, Mikel Arteta promptly clarified that the Brazilian "could not run" because the club was initially confused about whether the player had a knee or ankle injury.

Even though he probably won't play in this week's Carabao Cup match against Preston North End, testing on both has shown no major injuries, according to The Times. No specific comeback date for Gabriel is currently known, although Arsenal will play Inter, Chelsea, and Newcastle United before the November international break.

Gabriel played every minute of every match this season in the Premier League and Champions League until this past weekend. He was a mainstay in the league in 2022–23 and has been injury-free for over three years, dating back to August 2021.

Over the years that followed, he established himself as one of the greatest central defenders in England's top division, and his combination with Saliba helped Arsenal boast the strongest defence in the league in 2023–24.

Jurrien Timber, who can play centre defence, experienced cramps against Liverpool and had to be substituted after a three-game absence. This adds to the injury list for Arteta's new summer acquisition, Riccardo Calafiori.

Jakub Kiwior may start for the Poland national team at Preston after coming on as a substitute for Gabriel against Liverpool. At the weekend, Arteta started Ben White instead of Saliba, showcasing his versatility. To provide the Frenchman extra vacation time, he may retain that spot.

In the previous round's match against Bolton Wanderers, Kiwior began alongside Calafiori, while Gabriel came off the bench as a result of left back Myles Lewis-Skelly's injury.

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