Mikel Arteta faces an anxious wait over the health of 4 defenders forward of subsequent week’s Champions League quarter-final first leg towards Actual Madrid.

Though the Gunners have been boosted by the goalscoring return of Bukayo Saka, throughout Tuesday’s 2-1 dwelling win over Fulham, they misplaced Gabriel Magalhaes to a hamstring damage.

Arteta stated: “Gabi felt one thing in his hamstring. We do not understand how massive that’s.”

Jurrien Timber was additionally harm throughout the sport whereas Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori have been already sidelined alongside season-long absentee Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Gabriel 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, Timber was compelled off with a knee damage.

“They’re two gamers on this workforce that by no means need to come off,” added Arteta. “Gabi felt one thing in his hamstring, we do not understand how massive that’s and with Jurrien as nicely, he was already struggling very early within the sport. He managed to proceed and sooner or later he could not.”

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White had been dominated out of the sport on account of an damage suffered in coaching whereas Calafiori was absent following a knee damage

“The great factor is that it has been like this the entire season,” stated Arteta. How we have now 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.

“We have misplaced 4 gamers within the defensive position in a single week – Calafiori, Ben White, Jurrien and Gabi Magalhaes”You possibly can think about with these 4 gamers within the defensive position in a single week. So Calafiori, Ben White, Jurrien and Gabriel. Now we have nonetheless one other 4 which might be so prepared that they are going to do their job. We would like it a lot that we will give it an actual go and we’re very excited for the subsequent week.”

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 recent defensive blows forward of a vital interval.

Evaluation: Accidents bitter Arsenal’s successful night time

Sky Sports activities’ Nick Wright:

Saka’s objective, scored with solely his fifth contact, seven minutes after his introduction, offered 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 night time.

Gabriel, whose partnership with William Saliba has develop into a significant asset to Arsenal, appeared despondent as he limped across the pitch and down the tunnel. His absence towards Actual Madrid can be a big blow to Arsenal’s Champions League possibilities.

It seems simply the most recent in a sequence of hamstring accidents for Mikel Arteta’s facet. The Gunners will hope Gabriel’s damage is just not 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 might Gabriel be out?

Arsenal shall be desperately hoping Gabriel’s hamstring damage is just not 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 3 weeks to heal.

That size of absence might nonetheless rule Gabriel out of each legs of Arsenal’s Champions League double-header towards Actual Madrid.

A grade two or three hamstring damage means a tear to the muscle and normally ends in months quite than weeks on the sidelines, an eventuality which might 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 night time having suffered his damage in December.

Arsenal face Everton and Brentford within the Premier League both facet of the primary leg towards Actual Madrid on April 8. The second leg takes place on April 16.

• Arsenal’s upcoming fixtures

Arteta: Saka lifted the stadium

The large constructive of the night time for Arsenal, nonetheless, was the return of Saka.

Saka scored on his damage comeback towards 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 throughout the celebrations.

“I believe an attractive second to see how a lot our individuals love, respect and admire Bukayo,” Arteta stated. “He isn’t a shock to any of us and I believe one of the best instance is his response. Instantly after scoring a objective, what does he do?

“He goes and says thanks for all of the arduous work that each one the sports activities science guys, physios and all people concerned within the restoration have executed for him to have the ability to be within the situation that he’s. I believe he lifted the stadium, the vitality, and nice to have him again.”

Saka, Martinelli provide 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 have been one thing else. “He lifted the vitality within the stadium,” stated Arteta.

Saka appeared sharp and so did Matinelli, whose acrobatic flick from Mikel Merino’s cross to arrange Saka’s objective was one in every of 5 possibilities created within the sport. No person 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 complete of 23 objectives and assists in 25 video games for Arsenal this season, ensures a rise in firepower for the challenges forward.