Gabriel could return to Arsenal against Newcastle. Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
Hopefully Mikel Arteta will have something to shout about at the end of Arsenal’s training session on Friday, with Gabriel close to being fit to play against Newcastle.
When the excellent Brazilian central lprevented against Liverpoolthe Gunners and their supporters could have been forgiven for thinking the worst.
With the likes of captain Martin Odegaard also on the sidelines, losing Gabriel would be a huge blow.
Arsenal could have Gabriel again against Newcastle
Certainly, given that William Saliba was also unavailableArsenal without their first-choice centre-back pairing in place for most of the second half against the Reds was always likely to see a comeback from Arne Slot’s men.
The north Londoners could consider the draw as they dropped two points, although in these circumstances, just like at the Etihad Stadium earlier, it was a well-earned and deserved point.
On Friday morning, there seemed to be slightly more encouraging news from the Arsenal camp as well.
????? Gabriel Magalhães, ready to return to Arsenal after a minor injury.
“If he trains with us today, he will be available this weekend,” says Arteta. pic.twitter.com/d35k4dDarl
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) November 1, 2024
Trusted journalist Fabrizio Romano pointed to the words of Arteta’s pre-match press conference about Gabriel.
“If he trains with us today, he will be available this weekend,” says Arteta.
That will be music to the ears of Gunners fans, given how important the centre-back has been this season.
While Ben White, Martin Odegaard, Riccardo Calafiori and Takehiro Tomiyasu are still unavailable, Gabriel’s inclusion against the Magpies would strengthen the heart of Arsenal’s defence, which will be key against Alexander Isak et al.
With games coming up big and fast over the next few weeks, the international break in mid-November, possibly an inconvenience under normal circumstances, could be a boon for the Gunners and give their injured stars the perfect opportunity to bounce back in full form.
