Arteta-Gabriel argument reveals hidden Arsenal tension | OneFootball

Arsenal were dealt a major blow last Tuesday in their 2–1 win over Fulham at the Emirates in the Premier League as Gabriel Magalhães sustained a hamstring injury, deepening a growing injury crisis for the club. With a string of crucial fixtures approaching, it was the last thing Mikel Arteta would have wanted.

Speaking to the media on Friday ahead of Arsenal’s match against Everton, Arteta opened up about his discussions with Gabriel regarding the injury. The center-back first felt discomfort in his hamstring back in November during a game against West Ham United. Despite medical concerns at the time, Gabriel was determined to continue playing.

Addressing player welfare in his pre-match press conference, Arteta told reporters: "We have those discussions. I don’t know how we’re going to do it. For example, we had a situation with Gabi. During the West Ham game, he felt something in his hamstring. We played three days later, six days later, and nine days later. Three days later, he said he was ready to play with a grade one. He said, 'I'm not feeling anything. I want to play.'"

Arteta continued: "It was a massive fight not to play him. Then, six days later, he said again, 'This one, I definitely have to play.' Everybody's like, 'There is still a chance of a risk to play.’ Then on day nine, he insisted again. The doctors warned us: 'If he plays and gets injured again, he could be out for five to seven weeks.' On day 12, he played. But I was very tempted on day six to play him.”

The Arsenal manager defended his handling of player fitness amid mounting concerns over the Premier League’s relentless schedule and growing fatigue within the squad. He pointed to Gabriel's impressive consistency, having started 135 of the last 144 league matches, as evidence of his resilience, but admitted it’s a fine balance between protecting players and respecting their passion to play.

"Sometimes you do everything to protect a player and the injury still happens," he said, referencing the recent setback against Fulham. "If I had played him earlier and he got injured, I’d be heavily criticized. But even with all the precautions, these things can still occur. There are elements we simply can't control."

Arteta also highlighted the pressure managers face when players insist they’re ready before medical clearance: "The player comes into your office saying, 'I want to play, I know my body, don’t listen to the scan,' and you try to make the best decision for everyone. I really feel for the medical staff too, they put so much into this and feel responsible when things go wrong. But it’s not always black and white."

Following confirmation that Gabriel will now undergo surgery, the defender is expected to miss the remainder of the season. His absence was immediately felt as Arsenal were held to a draw by Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday.

The list of casualties continues to grow for Arteta. Tomiyasu Takehiro, Kai Havertz, and Gabriel Jesus are all confirmed to miss the rest of the campaign. Meanwhile, there is no return date yet for Riccardo Calafiori, who picked up an injury during the international break.

However, there was a glimmer of good news as Bukayo Saka made his much-anticipated return last Tuesday. Ben White and Jurrien Timber also made their comebacks from injury on Saturday, offering some much-needed reinforcement as Arsenal looks to navigate a tense run-in.