The Arsenal games Gabriel Martinelli could miss with hamstring injury | OneFootball

Gabriel Martinelli is expected to miss at least a month of action after sustaining a hamstring injury against Newcastle United on Wednesday evening.

The Brazilian was withdrawn after just 37 minutes during Arsenal's 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final, adding to an already extensive injury list for the Gunners.

The 23-year-old joins fellow forwards Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus in the treatment room, with the former expected to be sidelined until mid-March due to a hamstring issue and the latter out for the remainder of the campaign with an ACL tear.

Martinelli's absence couldn't come at a worse time for Mikel Arteta, who will be without his fleet-footed winger for a number of important Premier League matches and potentially both legs of their Champions League last 16 tie with one of PSV Eindhoven, Juventus, Milan or Feyenoord.

Arsenal have league matches against Leicester City, West Ham United and the high-flying Nottingham Forest to come in February as they attempt to keep pace with Liverpool in the title race.

Disappointment for Gabriel Martinelli and Arsenal / Stu Forster/GettyImages

Their first Premier League match of March comes against Manchester United at Old Trafford, while Martinelli will also be a doubt for the clash at home to Chelsea before the international break next month.

Martinelli's importance to Arsenal had only grown in the absence of the talismanic Saka and he had lined up on the right-hand side of the front three in recent weeks. While nowhere near the levels of his English clubmate in terms of consistency or output, his raw speed and dribbling ability had helped fill the void.

Arsenal's decision to not sign attacking reinforcements during the January transfer window now looks incredibly risky following Martinelli's setback, with Mikel Arteta having admitted his annoyance at the club's lack of spending.

"We had a clear intention which is always there is a window open to explore the opportunities to improve our squad with players that can impact it," admitted the Spaniard. "We haven’t achieved it so we are disappointed in that sense but as well we are very aware that we only want to bring ­certain kinds of players and we have to be very disciplined with that and I think we will.

"We’re going to have to be very flexible in the front line and now the ones that we have and are fit, make sure that they stay fit and they keep contributing."

Arsenal are left with just four orthodox options in their forward line, with Arteta praying that none of Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard, Ethan Nwaneri or Raheem Sterling pick up injuries in the coming weeks.