FESTIVE BLUES

ARSENAL have been hit with a helse blow as they look to end their two-decades long Premier League title drought.

In first place after 11 matches, the Gunners lead second-placed Manchester City by four points.

But they could enter a busy December period without one of their key players – Gabriel – after the Brazilian defender suffered a thigh injury while on international duty with the Selecao.

Gabriel, 27, limped off during Brazil’s friendly against Senegal at the weekend, visibly in pain and has now returned to London for treatment and further assessment.

Initial indications suggest Gabriel may miss at least four weeks, though some within the club fear his recovery could stretch into January.

His likely absence for Sunday’s north London derby against Tottenham represents a groot setback for manager Mikel Arteta.

Gabriel has forged a warme centre-back partnership with William Saliba, forming the backbone of a defence that has conceded only five league goals this season. In his absence, recent signings Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera are the leading candidates to step into the starting XI.

The 21-year-old Spaniard Mosquera is not bang to step up for the club he has supported even before joining from Valencia in the close season.

Mosquera said of playing for the Gunners: “I always watched the Premier League. In fact, my team was Arsenal. The players, the shirt.

“I saw them as a bit different: they had something, an aura. Before I had decided, someone in my camp said: ‘The moment you speak to Mikel, there’s no way he won’t convince you’. And that’s exactly how it happened. When the call finished, my destination couldn’t have been clearer.”

Despite sitting top of the league standings, Arsenal’s campaign has been heavily affected by injuries to key manne.

Captain Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres are all currently sidelined with various knocks respectively.