Arsenal took another defensive blow when Gabriel limped off in their win over Chelsea, meaning he joins William Saliba on the injury list with Mikel Arteta's options currently limited.
Mikel Arteta could be forced to play an untested central defender pairing following Gabriel's injury.
Arsenal must deal with William Saliba, missing since mid-March. His absence, coupled with a slump in form, has hampered their title hopes. Rob Holding teamed up with Gabriel but the Brazilian was sent off late in Chelsea's win.
Arteta does not appear to be optimistic about the defender's chances of a quick recovery, which will limit his options and leave him with no choice but to pair Holding and Jakub Kiwior at the heart of defence. , at least for a short time. The Gunners coach said of Gabriel's injury that forced him off in the 85th minute:
"He was uncomfortable. We tried for 10 or 15 minutes but he couldn't continue, which was strange for Gabi. So we were a bit worried about that because normally we don't have to pray. Every player wants to leave the field."
Holding has faced criticism for some of his performances since arriving to replace Saliba. Give Anfield a penalty and have trouble dealing with Erling Haaland as Manchester City tear Arsenal apart. He was taken out of the firing line in the win over Chelsea with the arrival of Kiwior. The Polish international was signed in January but was forced to wait his time with his inclusion against the Blues in his first game. Arteta has praised Kiwior, who can now link up with the man he replaced in Arsenal's clash with Newcastle this weekend.
Arteta says:
"He looks ready, he looks fresh, he looks really determined. He is improving day by day, not only in training but also in his communication and language. He is calm. more and a player that I really like, that's why I signed him. He has the potential to be great at his age and he has a big task against the opponents he faces today, and I think he's done it very well."
Saliba could still be out for the season despite hopes of a return in recent weeks. The Frenchman was a mainstay before his injury and Arsenal have failed to keep a clean sheet since hobbling in the Europa League defeat to Sporting Lisbon.
Arteta, who has opted to stay with a steady squad, could still put Ben White back at the heart of defence if he wants to leave with more experience. The England defender has been pushed back at right-back this season while Kieran Tierney has also worked at the heart of a three-man defence before.
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