Arsenal now face being without Gabriel Martinelli at a vital part of their season after the Brazilian forward sustained an injury as Mikel Arteta’s squad won 1-0 at Everton.
The 22-year-old opened his sixth fixture of this season as the Gunners visited Goodison Park on Sunday. Martinelli also thought he put Arsenal ahead early on at Everton after guiding his effort beyond Jordan Pickford. But VAR Stuart Attwell denied it as Eddie Nketiah was offside.
Martinelli is a crucial cog in Arteta’s team and had offered two assists so far this term before heading to Merseyside. The seven-cap Selecao ace fed Nketiah to score against Nottingham Forest and Martin Odegaard at home to Manchester United in games that the Gunners won.
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Mikel Arteta confirms Gabriel Martinelli suffered a hamstring injury
Arteta adores what Martinelli offers Arsenal but the Spaniard confirmed after facing Everton that he suffered a hamstring injury. Match-winner Leandro Trossard replaced the Guarulhos native in the 24th minute at Goodison. The Belgian scored the only goal in the 69th minute.
“He felt something in one of the sprints,” Arteta said on Sky Sports Premier League (17/09, 19:10). “He felt something in his hammy, so he will have to be assessed.”
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Losing Martinelli to a long-term hamstring injury would be brutal for Arteta and Arsenal. The attacker was the Gunners’ joint-top goalscorer across all competitions last season with 15 in 46 appearances. He scored all 15 over 36 Premier League games, plus five of his six assists.
How long could Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli now miss?
Well, according to the NHS website, Martinelli may now miss anything from only a matter of days to several months. It will depend on what grade of hamstring injury the Brazilian picked up at Goodison Park. The Gunners will be hoping that it is just a Grade 1 for his quick return.
Should further assessments show Martinelli suffered just a Grade 1 hamstring injury, Arsenal may have him back in mere days. But a Grade 2 or a Grade 3 injury will sideline the attacker for several weeks or months. A Grade 2 and 3 issue refers to a part or full tear of the muscle.
Dr Rajpal Brar has suggested on X, formerly called Twitter, that Martinelli suffered a Grade 1 hamstring injury at Everton. The sports science specialist further claims that the forward will likely face around two weeks on the sidelines. But Arsenal could face his longer absence still.
Martinelli might face further time in the London Colney medical room if he injured a muscle near to a tendon. The Brazilian being a high-speed player could also extend the timeline for his complete recovery. His pace on the flanks puts greater demand on the hamstring muscle.
What games could Martinelli now miss?
A two-week timeframe for Martinelli’s return from his hamstring injury would see him miss Arsenal’s next four games. The Gunners host PSV Eindhoven in their first Champions League game since March 2017 on Wednesday at Emirates Stadium to start the Group B campaign.
Tottenham Hotspur then visit Emirates Stadium as Arsenal host the first north London derby of the season on Sunday. Arteta will want the Gunners to do the double against Spurs in the Premier League again this term. They won 3-1 at home and 2-0 on the road during 2022/23.
Two away games also follow as Arsenal visit Brentford in the Carabao Cup and Bournemouth in the top-flight. The Bees tie marks the start of the Gunners’ EFL Cup journey this season. Brentford sealed a third-round spot after beating League Two Newport County on penalties.
Arteta may continue to rest Martinelli when they travel to RC Lens in the Champions League on October 3, too. The Arsenal coach will want Martinelli back from his hamstring injury for the Gunners’ crucial Premier League match at home to rivals Manchester City on October 8.