Arsenal: Mikel Arteta issues worrying Gabriel injury update as Kai Havertz closes in on return
Mikel Arteta has provided a double injury update ahead of Arsenal’s home game against Brighton.
The Gunners could be boosted by the return of Kai Havertz in their first match after Christmas. But Gabriel is still not back in training and Mikel Arteta has admitted Arsenal do not know when the Brazilian defender will be available again.
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Havertz has not played since injuring his knee at Manchester United on the opening weekend of the season.
But the German is back in training and could make his return against Brighton on Saturday, when Arsenal resume their quest for the Premier League title.
Kai Havertz is back in training for Arsenal (Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Speaking ahead of the Brighton game, Arteta said Havertz was only “a matter of days rather than weeks” before a return to action.
Pretty close,” said the Arsenal boss. “I think it will be a matter of days, not weeks. Let’s see in the next steps how he reacts to this.
“But once again he’s a player we missed a lot, a player who takes the team to a different dimension. So, I’m really happy to have him back soon.”
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But Gabriel still appears to be a long way from a return as he continues to recover from the adductor injury he suffered while playing for Brazil in November.
Arsenal have now been without Gabriel for nine games and Arteta is unsure when he will return.
Arteta said: “We have to wait and see. He hasn’t trained yet so he’s still doing his rehabilitation.
Gabriel has been out since being injured with Brazil in November (Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
“But I hope that as soon as possible (he can return), because we know the situation we are in at the moment in defense.”
Striker Gabriel Jesus started his first game in 11 months as Arsenal beat Crystal Palace on penalties to reach the Carabao Cup semi-finals on Tuesday.
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The Brazilian played 86 minutes in his 100th Arsenal appearance, and Arteta admitted that, despite the 28-year-old’s return to form recently, it was always the plan to give Jesus almost 90 minutes against Palace.
Arteta said: “Yes, he’s very fit. We gradually increased his minutes, but today, as long as he was fine, everyone was happy to let him go. And before we started taking risks and putting him in fatigue mode, we took him off, but I’m very happy.”