Mikel Arteta said Gabriel had “an issue” against Atletico Madrid that meant he had to be replaced, in a rare off note in an emphatic victory for Arsenal.
The defender got on the scoresheet as Arsenal stunned the Spanish giants with four goals in 13 minutes, with Gabriel Martinelli and a Viktor Gyokeres brace securing a 4-0 Champions League rout.
But Gabriel was replaced by summer signing Cristhian Mosquera with a little under 20 minutes of normal time remaining, with Arteta saying on Friday: “Big Gabby had to leave the pitch against Atletico Madrid with an issue and we will have to wait over the next 24 hours to see if he is available.”
He did not specify what the problem was.
Arteta also confirmed that none of his high-profile injury absentees Noni Madueke, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard will be available “in the next week or so”.
Even so Arteta can call upon a much stronger bench than in recent seasons, noting: “I would love to play all of them but I would rather have this situation. We've been very short in numbers sometimes over the past few years.”
Last year’s league runners-up lead Manchester City by three points going into the weekend and could break Chelsea’s record of only conceding 15 league goals in a season. Arteta said: “Those kind of records bring silverware at the end and the trophies that we want. The more we can produce, the closer we will be.”
But he added: “The teams with the best defensive records most of the time, except the past three seasons, normally win the league - so the stats go against us.
“The stronger we are in foundation, the better chance we have.”
Arsenal face Crystal Palace, who endured a 1-0 Conference League humiliation at the hands of minnows AEK Larnaca on Thursday, at the Emirates on Sunday.
