An injury analyst has provided an update on Gabriel Magalhães following his substitution during Arsenal’s match against Liverpool, where he was suspected to have sustained a knee injury.
The Brazilian defender went down in the second half at the Emirates Stadium, signaling to the bench that he could not continue when play resumed.
Upon his departure, Arsenal’s medical team promptly conducted a series of assessments on Gabriel’s knee, raising concerns for Mikel Arteta and the rest of the squad regarding the severity of the injury.
The situation is particularly troubling as William Saliba is set to return from a one-match suspension for the upcoming Carabao Cup fixture against Preston North End.
However, it seems likely that he will be without his usual center-back partner, depending on Gabriel’s fitness status.
The Twitter account FPLPhysio offered insights into Gabriel’s condition, suggesting that he may have sustained an injury to the medial collateral ligament (MCL).
They detailed that the physios immediately attended to him on the field, where they began testing for MCL issues. Although Gabriel initially attempted to continue playing, he ultimately had to leave the game shortly after.
According to the analysis, the potential outcomes for Gabriel’s injury vary in severity. If it is a grade one sprain, he could be sidelined for about one to three weeks. However, if the injury is classified as grade two, the recovery time could extend to four to six weeks.
In the worst-case scenario, a grade three injury would likely mean a recovery period of six weeks or more. Given that Gabriel managed to play for a short while after the initial incident, the prediction leans toward a grade one or possibly a grade two injury.
In addition to Gabriel’s situation, left-back Riccardo Calafiori also faced injury concerns after being substituted on Tuesday evening due to what appeared to be an MCL injury sustained while twisting awkwardly.
Although this diagnosis has not been officially confirmed, reports from Italian media suggest that Calafiori may be dealing with a grade one or possibly a lower grade two injury.
This would likely keep him out of action for a period ranging from one to six weeks. Notably, Calafiori was not included in the squad for the match against Liverpool, further underscoring the injury issues plaguing the team.
For MCL injuries, the worst-case scenario—a grade three injury—could result in a player being sidelined for anywhere between six to ten weeks. Meanwhile, grade one injuries typically necessitate a recovery period of one to two weeks, while grade two injuries generally take around two to six weeks to heal.
As Arsenal navigates these injury challenges, the return of key players like Saliba will be crucial in maintaining the team’s performance in upcoming matches, particularly with the demanding fixture schedule ahead.
The situation surrounding both Gabriel and Calafiori will require careful monitoring from the club’s medical staff as they prepare for their next challenges on the pitch.
