Mikel Arteta reveals Arsenal's plan to replace Gabriel after double injury boost | OneFootball

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed he is prepared to get creative to help Arsenal cope with the loss of injured centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes while offering hope that Ben White and Jurrien Timber are on the mend.

Gabriel has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering a hamstring problem which requires surgery, leaving William Saliba without his near-permanent centre-back partner as Arsenal frantically try to chase down Liverpool in the Premier League title race.

"It was a tough one to digest because we just got Bukayo [Saka] back, and then we lost Gabi," Arteta reflected. "It was tough.

"The team reacted like it has reacted all season. So really proud of that, and we know that he's going to be out for a while so we need to find different solutions and keep competing the way we have been all season.

"We've come so far, and now we have the most important, beautiful part of the season, and we have to react to those things. That means that other players are going to have opportunities to play, and the team has to find other ways, and it is a big miss, undoubtedly, but we have the resources to cope with that."

In the short term, and with Real Madrid coming up in the Champions League quarter-final next week, Arsenal are scrambling for options as Riccardo Calafiori is out with a knee injury. Fortunately, both Ben White and Jurrien Timber have recovered from their fitness issues and have "a chance" of featuring this weekend against Everton.

"Ric is not fit as well because in the last week or so we lost four players, and that's obviously a big task but let's see how Ben and Jurrien are tomorrow as well and that's it," he said. "Keep playing and keep competing the way we have been."

With defensive midfielder Mikel Merino filling in at striker, Arteta was asked whether he could change another player's position. Thomas Partey has filled in at right-back and Declan Rice began his senior career at centre-back, but Arteta is keen to avoid deviating too far away from his favoured team sheet.

"Well, there are a few [options] on the table," he said. "How far we have to go down that route, hopefully not that deep but there are options, obviously."