Huge Arsenal blow as Gabriel Magalhaes forced off in Liverpool clash to deepen defensive crisis

GABRIEL MAGALHAES has become the latest Arsenal player to fall foul of injury.

The defender was forced off the pitch during the Sunday afternoon clash between the Gunners and Liverpool at the Emirates.

GettyGabriel is the latest Arsenal injury set to cause Mikel Arteta a headache[/caption]

Mikel Arteta’s defensive options had already been depleted with injuries to Riccardo Calafiori, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kieran Tierney and the suspension of William Saliba.

However, following a second-half tussle with Darwin Nunez, Gabriel appeared to feel something and was then seen grimacing.

He then fell to floor in pain before receiving treatment to try and help him to carry on.

But it proved to be ineffective, and Gabriel was taken off through injury in the 54th minute and replaced by Jakub Kiwior.

The knock was reported to be a knee injury sustained after it was jolted during his duel with Nunez.

Footage of Gabriel while receiving treatment saw him holding his left knee, seemingly confirming this assessment.

He was able to walk off the pitch and down the tunnel, but could now face weeks on the sideline.

While Arteta will see the return of Saliba following his one-game suspension, Calafiori, Tomiyasu and Tierney remain out.

Arsenal have also been dealing with knocks to Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka before the Liverpool game.

However, star player Saka was deemed fit enough to play before he opened the scoring with a vicious close-range shot after ten minutes.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk scored from a set-play to level the score.

But the hosts responded with a free-kick of their own as Declan Rice’s superb free-kick was headed home by Mikel Merino shortly before half-time, and then confirmed following a lengthy VAR check for offside.

More to follow.

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