Arsenal get nightmare injury update that could change the Premier League title race

Tom Weber
Tom Weber
  • 18 Nov 2025 11:45 CST
  • 3 min read
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal
© IMAGO

David Ornstein has provided a worrying injury update on Arsenal superstar Gabriel Magalhaes.

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The Brazil defender has been one of the standout performers in the Premier League season, marshalling the best defence in the division. Irresistible defensively as well as on attacking set-pieces, Gabriel is easily one of Arsenal's most important players.

However, the Gunners will now be without their star man for potentially up to two months, according to The Athletic insider David Ornstein. The 27-year-old sustained a thigh injury on international duty, and initial fears are that he will be sidelined between four and eight weeks.

Gabriel was playing for Brazil against Senegal at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium at the weekend when he suffered his injury. Ornstein emphasises that more tests are required, but it doesn't look good at first glance.

The Premier League leaders will be without their key defender for the vitally important festive period. Between now and the end of January, Arsenal are slated to play 18 games, 12 of which will be in the league, starting with a North London Derby clash against Tottenham this weekend.

Cristhian Mosquera
© IMAGO - Cristhian Mosquera

Mosquera, Hincapie to play huge role for Gunners

Cristhian Mosquera, Piero Hincapie and potentially Ben White will be tasked with replacing Gabriel in the upcoming games. The latter has barely played this season, but Arsenal will be confident that new signings Mosquera and Hincapie will prove capable deputies.

21-year-old Mosquera stepped into the breach when William Saliba was injured in the early stages of the season and did a stellar job. However, Hincapie may be a more natural replacement for Gabriel as he is also left-footed.

The Ecuador international has had to bide his time after joining from Bayer Leverkusen in a summer loan deal that is, for all intents and purposes, a permanent €52 million transfer.

Hincapie has so far played just 170 minutes of football for Arsenal, which is just a little more than he played across two games for Leverkusen at the start of the season. Although he has made two starts for the Gunners, he has yet to complete a full 90 minutes.

Negative net spend in the Premier League
© IMAGO - Negative net spend in the Premier League

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