Latest Arsenal injury news as Gabriel Magalhaes breaks silence and Mikel Arteta confirms worry

Mikel Arteta has acknowledged that Arsenal do not know the extent of any injury to Gabriel Magalhaes after the defender experienced discomfort during the latter stages of their 5-1 win over Sporting in Lisbon.

Gabriel was substituted by the Gunners manager soon after Leandro Trossard scored the game's final goal. Jakub Kiwior came on to replace the Brazil international for the remaining minutes of the match.

The centre-back had earlier extended Arsenal 's advantage in first-half stoppage time but could not complete 90 minutes. It was just the second time all season that Gabriel was unable to do so, the other occasion being early in the second half during last month's 2-2 draw with Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.

A knee issue caused that premature withdrawal and Arteta confirmed after this latest injury scare that the player felt discomfort during the Champions League match. Asked afterwards whether the substitution was injury-related, the Arsenal manager replied: "We don't know. We had to make the change because he was feeling some discomfort.

"I was about to make the change for Raz [Raheem Sterling]; poor thing, I couldn’t make the sub. We had to get him [Gabriel] out."

Gabriel took to social media after the match, though, writing on Instagram: "Amazing energy from the team and our supporters!! On to the next!!" Arsenal will be sweating on his fitness for the game against West Ham United on Saturday evening.

With fellow defenders Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu already injured, Arteta can ill afford to be without another member of his backline as December approaches. As the Gunners manager revealed last week ahead of the Nottingham Forest match, White had surgery on his knee injury and will be out for months rather than weeks, with a potential return coming in March.

Tomiyasu will also not be back involved anytime soon. Arteta confirmed that the Japan international would be away from the team for multiple weeks and acknowledged that they must be patient with the player, who also has a knee injury.

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