Mikel Arteta reveals ‘possibility’ crucial Arsenal star will return v Everton: ‘He trained today’

Mikel Arteta says defender Gabriel Magalhaes has trained ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League match against Everton on Saturday.

Arsenal centre-back Gabriel has missed his side’s last three matches after coming off at half-time against West Ham on November 30.

He has suffered a couple of niggling injuries this season, being forced off against Liverpool in October.

Before Wednesday’s Champions League match against AS Monaco, Arteta said: “We have to manage a lot of the players.

“Some of them probably aren’t going to be fit. Some are still a doubt. We have 24 hours to make a decision and hopefully it’ll be the right ones.

“Big Gabi has not had a muscular injury (before). He is playing a lot now, he is travelling, going to Brazil, he is a starter with Brazil.”

Ahead of the Premier League clash at home to Everton, Arteta confirmed that Gabriel has trained, though Riccardo Calafiori is less likely to feature.

“There is a possibility with one of them to be available. He trained today. It’s Gabriel.

“We’re just respecting the times that the medical department has set. We monitor [Calafiori] every day.”

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Injuries on the left side of defence has been a constant issue for Arsenal, with Oleksandr Zinchenko, Kieran Tierney, Jurrien Timber and Calafiori all struggling to stay 100 per cent fit.

“That’s something where we’ve had a lot of instability in recent years,” Arteta said on the issue. “Finding that stability and putting players who have that chemistry is very important.

“We certainly have that (threat from the left). It’s never gonna be the same because they have different qualities

“We need to understand that we have different threats on all sides. If not we wouldn’t have scored the goals we did in the last few years.”

Hale End graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly started left-back in the 2-0 win against Monaco in midweek and is in contention to start for the visit of Everton.

“You always take a chance, Arteta said on Lewis-Skelly. “It doesn’t matter the experience or age. He was surrounded by very experienced players.

“We believed he could help the team to win the game and he certainly did that.”

Arteta represented Everton during his playing days, joining Arsenal from the Toffees on deadline day in the 2011 summer transfer window.

“The human quality and then how deep the feeling is towards the club,” the Spaniard said about his former club.

“The club has been through very different phases in its history, but I love the way they get all together and they face the storms.”

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