Arsenal are set to make at least one change against Tottenham when the Premier League restarts after Gabriel Magalhae’s international injury.
Arsenal go into the North London derby without Gabriel Magalhães, who suffered a serious injury during the international break. The Brazilian defender could be sidelined until January due to a thigh problem.
Gabriel has started all 11 Premier League games for the Gunners this season. The 27-year-old hasn’t missed a minute under manager Mikel Arteta and Arsenal have the pace at the top of the division.
The Spaniard will be forced into a change to face Thomas Frank’s Tottenham as Arteta’s side look to bounce back from their draw with Sunderland. Arsenal currently have an eight point lead over their nearest rivals, who sit in fifth place.
The Gunners manager may have sweat on his forehead before making such an important decision. Arteta may be relieved that Andrea Berta’s summer transfer business has brought in new options in Piero Hincapie and Cristian Mosquera.
It is unlikely that Arsenal’s head coach will change much from his successful system, but there are a number of personnel considerations to consider. Mirror football looks at his choices.
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Clown Hincapie
The Ecuadorian international arrived capable of playing in the center of defence, or on the left flank. In many ways, Hincapie seems like an easy choice.
However, the 23-year-old has only started two games so far, with his time at the Emirates interrupted by a groin injury. The defender’s preferred role is in the center of defence, and his front-foot defensive nature would provide him with the closest thing to an equivalent replacement.
Cristian Mosquera
Young star Mosquera has already shown he can hold his own against top opponents after being called up for the game against Liverpool. The 21-year-old has played on the left side of Valencia’s defence, despite being right-handed.
Mosquera has already played alongside Saliba this season. The pair started working together in September when Arsenal defeated Port Vale in the Carabao Cup.
“It’s not easy to adapt to the league, to adapt to a new way of playing, but Mosquela is a great example,” Arteta said after defeating Nottingham Forest in September.
“What he did against Liverpool, he was thrown off after three minutes in his first Premier League appearance at Anfield, I think it’s very difficult. I think he was fantastic today as well.”
Riccardo Calafioli
An even more surprising choice could turn out to be Italian star Riccardo Calafioli. The former Bologna star joins Arsenal in 2024 as another versatile option.
However, Calafioli has made the left-back role his own this season, often being deployed very high up the pitch in Arteta’s system. If Calafioli were to be replaced, Miles Lewis-Skelly would likely take up the role, but the Arsenal manager could be forgiven for not wanting to make too many changes at once.
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