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“He can’t walk properly” – Wenger’s update on injured Arsenal star

By mac14 on August 18, 2016

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has offered an update on Gabriel and confirmed the defender is facing up to eight weeks on the sidelines with an ankle injury.

Gabriel was expected to play a key role for the club this season after Per Mertesacker was ruled out for four months with a serious knee injury during the early stages of pre-season.

However, the Brazilian international was soon joining Mertesacker on the sidelines after suffering a nasty ankle injury during the closing stages of our pre-season clash with Manchester City earlier this month.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of our trip to Leicester City this weekend, Wenger has confirmed Gabriel is facing between 6 to 8 weeks on the treatment table.

The centre-back is still in a protective boot and the boss says it’s difficult to assess his injury properly as he’s still unable to walk properly.

Wenger told Arsenal.com:

on Gabriel…
He is doing well, but it is six to eight weeks. He is in the boot, but it is very difficult to assess him because he cannot walk properly at the moment.

It was a huge blow to lose Gabriel and it certainly cost us at the weekend as the inexperienced duo of Rob Holding and Calum Chambers were badly exposed during our 4-3 defeat to Liverpool last Sunday.

The good news is that Laurent Koscielny is expected to return to the squad for Saturday’s trip to the King Power so our defence will get a much-needed boost against Leicester.

Aaron Ramsey and Alex Iwobi will miss the game after being ruled out for 3 weeks with injuries that they suffered against Liverpool but Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud should return to the squad.