Comparing Arsenal’s record with and without Gabriel Magalhaes since he joined the club | OneFootball

After picking up an injury while on international duty with Brazil, Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes is set for a period on the sidelines.

The Brazilian picked up a thigh injury while playing against Senegal and subsequently missed Brazil’s following game against Tunisia.

It was originally hoped that the injury wasn’t serious, although fresh updates have claimed that the 27-year-old could be sidelined for up to two months.

David Ornstein told The Athletic: “Sources briefed on the injury, speaking on the condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to do so publicly, confirmed that further tests are required to discover the full extent of Gabriel’s injury, but initial examinations suggest he will miss a month or two.”

If he is set to miss the next two months, that would be a huge blow to Mikel Arteta and his squad, who have a number of big games on the horizon.

Since joining Arsenal in 2020, Gabriel has featured in 85% of Arsenal’s league matches and has been one of the first names on the teamsheet when fully fit.

He’s developed a strong partnership with William Saliba and along with his defensive instincts, also provides a big goal threat.

Since making his Premier League debut, the Brazilian has scored 18 goals – the most of any Premier League defender.

Digging into the underlying stats, it’s also clear to see that Arsenal are a much more efficient side with Gabriel in the starting XI.

When the Brazilian plays, Arsenal have a win percentage of 64.3% in the Premier League. Without him, that figure drops to 40%.

“If you ask me what I want from my centre-back, I want somebody who dominates both boxes and masters that,” Arteta said earlier in the season.

“Gabriel can do that. He defends like a world-class defender, and he attacks like a world-class attacker.

“When you look at his presence, the way he leads the team, the way he talks to people, his body language, there’s a lot to like.

“It’s no coincidence that he has evolved into one of the best centre-backs in the world.

“His belief is tremendous. I can tell him to go and run to the first post, and he does it with conviction, energy and attitude.

“The team’s belief in those moments is really high, and Gabriel is at the heart of that. He gives everything for the team, and that sets the tone for everyone else.”

Here’s the full breakdown of how Arsenal’s record in the Premier League compares with and without Gabriel.

Arsenal’s Premier League record with Gabriel