LONDON: Arsenal’s preparations ahead of their home clash with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday are marred by a question mark over a thigh injury that is expected to rule out their main centre-back, Gabriel Magalhaes.
Gabriel has been a mainstay of Mikel Arteta’s defence all season but was forced off during Brazil’s friendly against Senegal last week and his absence will leave the Premier League leaders without their most dominant player in the air.
Arsenal returned from the international break with a four-point lead over nearest challengers Manchester City, but Arteta’s side dropped points in a 2-2 draw at Sunderland earlier.
They have conceded just five league goals this season but Gabriel’s injury, with some media reports suggesting he could be sidelined until January, plus fitness concerns for Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli, could potentially test the team’s current strength in what is always an intense fixture.
“Gabriel is a world-class defender and I don’t care who comes in to replace him, it’s still tough,” England legend Alan Shearer told Betfair.com.
“Defensively he is very solid and plays a big part in what Arsenal have achieved. From set pieces too, he is a vital component whether it is scoring goals or making it difficult for the opposition’s defence.
“Even though Arsenal have a replacement, they are actually losing perhaps the best central defender in the Premier League.”
Arsenal are expected to fill the void with Ecuadorian stalwart Piero Hincapie or Spaniard Cristhian Mosquera while Riccardo Calafiori, if fit, could move from left-back to centre-back.
Tottenham, on the other hand, appeared stronger under new manager Thomas Frank with the best away record in the league.
Spurs are in fifth place and have proven their ability to threaten any team on the opposing field, including beating Manchester City this season.
However, long-term injuries to James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke have affected their attacking firepower, leaving winger Mohammed Kudus also expected to return to shoulder the creative burden this season.
Arsenal have dominated recent meetings, unbeaten in their last six, but Spurs’ high-pressing style makes them difficult opponents to predict.
A victory for the visitors could close the championship race and inject new drama into the fight for the top four.