Arteta provides vague Gabriel injury update ahead of Premier League clash against West Ham

Mikel Arteta has provided an update on Gabriel Magalhaes' fitness ahead of Arsenal's crucial Premier League encounter with West Ham United this weekend.

The Brazilian was forced off with an injury in the latter stages of the Gunners' dominant 5-1 victory over Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday.

The centre-back scored during an impressive performance but was substituted in the 84th minute after reporting discomfort, with Jakub Kiwior coming on in his place.

Gabriel has been a regular feature for Arsenal, playing in every Premier League and Champions League match so far this season.

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Arteta discusses injuries ahead of West Ham clash

Arteta spoke to the media on Friday but gave away very little regarding the fitness of Gabriel ahead of the side's match against the Hammers.

When asked about injuries, the Gunners boss said: "Not a lot because we have another training session. We have to see how the boys are. A few weren't able to train."

When pressed on Gabriel's fitness level, Arteata simply responded: "Wait and see."

The Brazilian was spotted on the sidelines after being withdrawn in midweek rather than heading down the tunnel or working with a physio, which has caused speculation that the injury may not be too serious.

Gabriel has scored three goals in 18 appearances for the Gunners across all competitions this season.

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Potential replacements for Gabriel this weekend

Kiwior is the leading option to fill in if the Brazilian is unable to feature this weekend, as both Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White are sidelined with knee issues.

Oleksandr Zinchenko may step in at left-back, while Riccardo Calafiori could also shift to the centre-back position to provide additional coverage in defence.

Additionally, Kieran Tierney could make his first league matchday squad of the season after recovering from injury, having recently made a return in Lisbon.

The Gunners are currently in fourth place in the Premier League with 22 points after 12 matches, nine points behind league leaders Liverpool and just one point off second-placed Manchester City.