Mikel Arteta offers updates on Gabriel and Calafiori following their absence from Man Utd game

Mikel Arteta Provides Updates on Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

The absences of Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori had little impact on Arsenal’s performance against Manchester United, as Mikel Arteta’s side secured a crucial 2-0 victory, and the Spaniard indicated that both players are expected to return to action soon.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has given updates on the fitness of Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori after both players missed the match against Manchester United. The pair were absent due to injuries sustained in the team’s Champions League match against Sporting CP and the Premier League game against West Ham.

Gabriel, who had been in excellent form, scoring twice in his last two games, was forced off at half-time against West Ham due to an injury. Arteta confirmed that Gabriel was a “big risk” to play against Manchester United and is hopeful that he will be available for the upcoming match against Fulham. “Gabi was a big risk to play today because he felt something against West Ham,” Arteta said. “Sunday is going to be a possibility with Riccardo as well, let’s see how he reacts.”

Calafiori, who recently returned from a knee injury, was also forced off early in the second half against West Ham. Arteta mentioned that it is “impossible to maintain everybody fit” given the congested fixture list and the high level of competition. “We lost Gabi and Ricci,” Arteta said. “So having consistency at the back is tricky. Opportunity for another player to show up and there’s not a better game to do that. I trust my players.”

With Gabriel and Calafiori out, Arteta turned to Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko to fill the defensive roles. Both players stepped up admirably, helping Arsenal secure a 2-0 victory over Manchester United. “Big credit to Jakub and Alex, I think it’s the first start for Jakub after a long time, you have to be thrown against this kind of opposition,” Arteta praised.

As Arsenal prepares for their next match against Fulham, Arteta remains hopeful that both Gabriel and Calafiori will recover in time. “We want to have the right to win the games and if we perform the way we perform right now, we are going to win a lot of games,” Arteta said. “But now it is about Fulham, we have to go there and we know the experience of last season. We’re going to have to prepare really well to earn the right to win there and continue to do that, the rest we don’t know.”