Gabriel Magalhaes is expected to be fit to face Newcastle United at the weekend despite Mikel Arteta’s immediate post-game concern, according to a report.

Gabriel Magalhaes was forced off early in Arsenal’s match against Chelsea on Tuesday, with the defender clearly trying to play on through an issue with his left leg before eventually being replaced.

After the game, Mikel Arteta appeared concerned about the problem.

“He wasn’t comfortable,” Arteta said. “We tried for 10 or 15 minutes but he could not carry on which is strange for Gabi. So we are a bit concerned about that because normally he’s not one that wants to leave the pitch.”

Footage of the player walking around on the pitch after the game also showed an obvious limp, further raising fears that he might miss Arsenal’s match against Newcastle United at the weekend.

https://twitter.com/blogongunners/status/1653508985578831874

Yet perhaps the situation might not be as bad as it first seemed. As Football.London’s Kaya Kaynak understands it, the player should be back to full fitness in time for Sunday.

“The explanation of why he kept going down and carrying on it wasn’t a muscular injury it was an ankle injury sustained with an impact with Aaron Ramsdale,” Kaynak said (via The Boot Room).

“Those are usually ones you can run off. Gabriel is a hard guy, he can handle the pain and Arteta was keen not to disrupt the backline anymore than necessary.

“He’s looking good, he should be okay for Newcastle is what I’ve heard, it’s a positive update.

“He’s looking fine and I think he’ll be back in training either tomorrow or today. I think he’s ok, but he’s taken a blow to the ankle and those are tough to run off.”

That would certainly be a boost for Arsenal, as they’d finally seemed to figure out a defensive system that works in the absence of William Saliba.

After conceding twice against Liverpool and West Ham, three times against Southampton, and four times against Manchester City, it was clear something needed to change.

Though Oleksandr Zinchenko, Gabriel, Jakub Kiwior, and Ben White didn’t manage to keep a clean sheet against Chelsea, there were still clear signs of improvement, with one or two lapses in concentration the only blemish on a strong performance.

It would have been a shame to have to immediately switch to another new lineup in Gabriel’s absence, especially against one of the top teams in the country right now. But it seems he’ll be available after all.