Injury latest on Arsenal’s Gabriel and Jurrien Timber | OneFootball

Gabriel and Jurrien Timber were withdrawn early in Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool on Sunday, giving Mikel Arteta a selection headache.

LONDON, ENGLAND: Gabriel of Arsenal reacts as he is checked on by team mates before receiving medial treatment for an injury during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC at Emirates Stadium on October 27, 2024. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Arsenal went into Sunday’s game against Liverpool with plenty of fitness issues in defence, on top of William Saliba’s suspension.

Riccardo Calafiori was out of action, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney were unavailable to replace him, Oleksandr Zinchenko still hasn’t played a game since his injury, and Jurrien Timber’s fitness was risked having just come back from his own problem.

Unfortunately, it only got worse during the game, with Gabriel and Timber both coming off with new injuries.

LONDON, ENGLAND: Jurrien Timber of Arsenal leaves the pitch after picking up an injury during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC at Emirates Stadium on October 27, 2024. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Speaking after the match, Mikel Arteta answered a question about whether Arsenal had rushed Timber back too soon.

“We’ve done everything that we possibly could to accelerate that process, and he was so willing, the team, the medical staff have done amazing work and we gave ourselves the chance to compete,” Arteta said.

“I don’t know the extent of the injury if there is one, the same with Big Gabi.”

As for Gabriel, Arteta gave an update on the Brazilian centre-back’s fitness as well.

“I don’t know but he could not run, that’s what he said straight away, so I don’t know what happened,” the Arsenal manager added.

“I don’t know if it’s the knee joint or the ankle, they are assessing him right now.”

Gabriel on his Instagram story. The caption reads “In everything give thanks…”

Though Arteta didn’t know at the time, Gabriel’s Instagram story later in the evening suggests his problem was a knee injury. The player can be seen wearing a sleeve to protect the knee, with no noticeable strapping around the ankle.

Given the serious knee injury to Timber last season and Calafiori’s current absence with a knee problem, Arsenal fans will hope Gabriel’s issue is much less serious.

LONDON, ENGLAND: Jurrien Timber of Arsenal leaves the pitch after picking up an injury during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC at Emirates Stadium on October 27, 2024. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

But in the meantime, Arsenal will travel to Preston and likely need to name a somewhat makeshift back four.

Zinchenko could finally make his return at left-back, and Jakub Kiwior seems likely to start at left-centre-back in Gabriel’s absence.

With Saliba only playing one-and-a-half of Arsenal’s last three games, he’ll probably start alongside Kiwior, and then youth prospect Josh Nichols might get the chance to build on the 90 minutes he played at right-back against Bolton Wanderers.