Tottenham receive NLD boost as Arsenal risk losing two cogs in clean sheet machine
Tottenham’s chances of getting a positive result at the Emirates Stadium may have improved after what happened to two key Arsenal players on Saturday.
Spurs have an extremely bloated injury list ahead of the North London derby, but the situation looks a lot rosier for their rivals.
It has been reported that Mikel Arteta could welcome back five key Arsenal players for the clash against Tottenham.
Noni Madueke is expected to be fit for the game after missing the clash against Sunderland, while Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard are all in contention to return for next Sunday’s clash.
Boost for Tottenham as key Arsenal duo are doubts for derby
However, Arsenal now face the possibility of going into the derby without one of the pillars of their defence for the upcoming clash.
This is because Gabriel Magalhaes was forced off with an injury an hour into the Selecao’s 2-0 win over Senegal in an international friendly on Saturday.
According to Arsenal Insider, the centre-back has now suffered a groin injury and is now a ‘major doubt’ for the clash against Tottenham.
That comes as a huge boost to Thomas Frank’s men, as not only is Gabriel a vital cog of the formidable Gunners defensive unit, but he is also their biggest threat from set pieces.
Gabriel may not be the only key piece missing from Arsenal’s defensive unit, as The Standard reports that Riccardo Calafiori has withdrawn from international duty with Italy due to an injury.
Calafiori has been Arteta’s preferred choice at left-back this season, and if the Italian is ruled out of the derby, that means that Arsenal may be lining up without half of their usual back four.
Key Spurs man picks up an injury in the same match
While Tottenham Hotspur fans would be delighted with the news about Gabriel, as fate would have it, a Spurs man, who was playing for the other side in the same game, also picked up an injury.
Pape Sarr was forced off with an injury at the start of the second half of Senegal’s clash against Brazil, which will raise some serious alarm bells at N17.
There has been no clarification yet on the nature of the midfielder’s injury, but it is the last thing Frank would have wanted a week ahead of the biggest clash of his Tottenham career so far.
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