Arsenal defender Gabriel forced off with injury, Areta 'worried' - ESPN

Arsenal face a potential injury crisis in defense ahead of their Champions League showdown with Real Madrid after Gabriel Magalhães and Jurriën Timber picked up injuries in Tuesday's Premier League win over Fulham.

The Gunners moved within nine points of leaders Liverpool, which play Wednesday, with a 2-1 victory over Marco Silva's side at Emirates Stadium. Mikel Merino opened the scoring before Bukayo Saka marked his first appearance in 101 days following a hamstring surgery by scoring in the 73rd minute, just seven minutes after coming on as a substitute.

Rodrigo Muniz netted in stoppage time for Fulham, but the bigger concern for Arsenal was the sigh of Gabriel limping off early in the first half with a hamstring problem. Timber received treatment shortly afterwards but stayed on the field until the 77th minute.

Arsenal travel to Everton on Saturday before hosting Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal next Tuesday.

«Gabi felt something in his hamstring,» confirmed Gunners boss Mikel Arteta, who added he was «worried» about the Brazil international. «We don't know how big that is and with Jurriën as well, he was already struggling very early in the game. He managed to continue, at some point he couldn't.

»We don't know how they're going to be. We'll be assessing them tomorrow and understand better how we are with those two."

With Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus also missing for the rest of a campaign — which has also seen Saka, Martin Odegaard, Ben White and Gabriel Martinelli absent for long periods through injury — Arteta admitted he had never known another season like this one in his career.

«No, unfortunately, especially because as well there have been some big, big players in very, very