December 8th 2024.
The match between Mikel Arteta's Arsenal side and Fulham on Sunday ended in a 1-1 draw, with the Gunners unable to secure a win in west London. It was a disappointing result for Arteta, who later admitted that his team was "missing" their Brazilian defender, Gabriel Magalhaes.
Unfortunately, Gabriel was not named in the matchday squad due to a lingering knee issue. This was the same injury that had kept him out of their previous victory against Manchester United. In addition to Gabriel, other defenders such as Riccardo Calafiori, Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Oleksandr Zinchenko were also unavailable for the match against Fulham.
During the post-match press conference, Arteta was asked about the absence of these key players and he agreed that Gabriel's absence was felt on the field. However, he also praised the performance of Jakub Kiwior, who filled in for Gabriel, as well as the rest of the team who had to adapt to playing with an unfamiliar backline.
When asked about the potential return of Gabriel, Zinchenko, and Calafiori for their upcoming Champions League clash against Monaco, Arteta remained hopeful but stated that it was ultimately up to the doctors and physios to determine their fitness.
Despite the challenges in their backline, Arteta was impressed with how his team responded and performed throughout the match. They were denied a late winner due to VAR ruling out Bukayo Saka's goal for offside, which was a tough blow emotionally for the team.
In the end, Arteta was disappointed that they were unable to secure a win, as he believed they deserved it based on their performance. However, he was proud of how his team fought and responded to the challenges they faced.
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