Arsenal latest: Gabriel to sit out upcoming run of fixtures/Youngsters likely to continue vs Brighton

Premier League giants Arsenal have this evening provided fitness updates on a number of the club’s star performers.

Looking up

Mikel Arteta’s men are of course still riding high on the back of a potentially season-altering result over the weekend.

The Gunners welcomed capital rivals Chelsea to the Emirates on Saturday, for a Premier League clash.

Arsenal headed into proceedings amid a frankly disastrous string of results, which had seen the north Londoners slip to a lowly 15th in the English top-flight table.

When all was said and done 48 hours ago, however, Arteta’s outfit stepped up in the face of adversity, to eventually emerge on the right side of a 3-1 scoreline.

Next up, as Arsenal attempt to build some much needed momentum towards a push in the direction of the Premier League’s European places, is a trip to the south coast on Tuesday, for a meeting with Brighton.

And this will be swiftly followed by yet another matchup with an outfit battling relegation at the weekend, when the Gunners visit West Brom.

Mixed news

As such, Mikel Arteta and co. will likely be quietly confident in their chances of securing a couple of positive results over the week ahead.

As outlined above, however, one individual whom the Spaniard will be forced to do without versus both Brighton and West Brom is Gabriel Magalhaes.

Brazilian stopper Gabriel was forced to sit out Arsenal’s win over Chelsea on Saturday, after coming into close contact with an individual who subsequently tested positive for Covid-19 during the festive period.

And, during today’s latest round of testing at the Emirates, the summer arrival in north London also returned a positive result.

As per an official post across the club’s social media platforms a short time ago:

Gabriel

Has tested positive for COVID-19 and is isolating according to UK Government and Premier League protocols. We will continue to monitor and support Gabriel, and we are hoping he will be available again after our next two matches.

Elsewhere, both David Luiz and Willian, who also sat out their side’s meeting with their former club at the weekend, are on the recovery trail.

Neither, though, will link back up with Mikel Arteta’s squad until Thursday, ruling the Brazilian duo out of contention versus Brighton:

David Luiz
Since feeling unwell, David has returned to outside training and is due to re-join the full squad on Thursday (31 December).

Willian
Since feeling unwell, Willian has returned to outside training and is due to re-join the full squad on Thursday (31 December).

Willian’s absence in particular is likely to spell good news for Arsenal’s youthful attacking contingent, with at least two of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith-Rowe in line to maintain their spots in the Gunners’ starting XI on Tuesday.

The latest ahead of #BHAARS

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 28, 2020

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