Arsenal vs. Tottenham: Gabriel faces 'weeks' out and Riccardo Calafiori a doubt for North London Derby

Mikel Arteta has insisted that Arsenal can weather the storm of "weeks" without their defensive leader Gabriel as injuries threaten to derail the Gunners ahead of a pivotal week.

Gabriel injured his thigh in Brazil's 2-0 win over Senegal on Saturday and is due for further scans on Wednesday as Arsenal look to ascertain a clearer timescale on the recovery of their defensive leader. Initial fears pegged the 27 year old as facing up to two months on the sidelines but for the time being Arteta remains reluctant to offer further clarity.

"He's going to be out for weeks," said Arteta. "We need to have another scan and we'll have the timeline much clearer than we have at the moment. It's clearly a blow, it's our leader in our backline. It's never a positive thing to lose him. The good thing is we have very good options and people have to stand up now and do the job."

To complicate matters further Riccardo Calafiori remains a doubt for Sunday's north London derby having missed training during the international break. The Italian national team sent Calafiori back to Arsenal after initial tests on his thigh injury and Arteta revealed that the 23-year-old, an ever present in his Premier League XIs this season, had been playing through pain.

"He's been carrying a few things and we had to bring him back. He hasn't trained yet. Tomorrow we have another training session, let's see how he is."

The injuries to the Arsenal backline are all the more frustratingly timed for Arteta given that they come just as the headaches in the frontline appeared to be easing. The league leaders reached the international break without six attacking options and their manager was customarily circumspect when asked which of Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, Viktor Gyokeres and Noni Madueke might be available for the visit of Tottenham. "I can [tell you] but I'm not going to do it," he joked.

His circumspection would suggest that at least some of those will be available. Martinelli is understood to have trained during the break and there has been speculation that both Odegaard and Madueke could be involved in some capacity. Arteta indicated he was as optimistic about the sextet as he had been in a relatively buoyant press conference before the international break and the 1-1 draw with Sunderland. However his insistence on keeping cards close to his chest will at least keep Thomas Frank guessing until an hour and a quarter before kickoff on Sunday.

"It's the final stage," he said, "and now is when there is contact around them, when they have to be pushed into very unpredictable things that they haven't done. I think they are going to be with us soon, I don't know if Sunday is going to be too soon."

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However many forwards return it would be fair to wonder if Arteta would trade them all for Gabriel's fitness. The Brazilian is the rock on which the best defense in Europe is built, Arsenal having conceded five goals in 17 games across all competitions, and that is to say nothing of the devastation he routinely causes from set pieces. It would not be an exaggeration to suggest that Gabriel might have a serious chance of winning some of the sport's biggest individual prizes if he were to be fit throughout the season, a prospect that is looking increasingly slim. 

No matter how long he is out, Gabriel will be missed. "Every player brings their specific qualities and Gabriel is his leadership, his presence and the love that he has to defend and to transmit as well his body language to other players. We have to do it, and we have to spread that."

It is something Arteta believes his squad can do. "People will step up, we've done it in the past many, many times. Unfortunately, we played last year the biggest and most problematic part of the season without him as well, and the team was able to cope with that."

In that Arteta is referring to the run to the end of last season in which Arsenal had to do without Gabriel -- and a host of other key players. The hamstring injury that seemed to be a hammer blow to their Champions League prospects, coming as it did on the eve of their quarterfinal against Real Madrid, did not necessarily destroy the Gunners, who lost only three of their final 12 matches.

Then again as they staggered to the finish line they conceded 13 goals and allow a little over an expected goal per game. Before Gabriel went down it was 39 against in 46, 0.88 xG against per match. Jakub Kiwior stepped in impressively, raising his standing among supporters, but he was no Gabriel. Piero Hincapie might be one of the best back up center backs in the league but Gabriel is one of the best center backs in the world. Calafiori too, another option to fill in next to William Saliba, is a great talent. He just isn't Gabriel. No one is.

Viewing information

• Date: Sunday, Nov. 23 | Time: 11:30 a.m. ET
• Location: Emirates Stadium -- London
• Live stream: Peacock

Predicted lineups

Arsenal XI: David Raya; Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, Piero Hincapie, Riccardo Calafiori; Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice; Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, Leandro Trossard; Mikel Merino

Tottenham XI: Guglielmo Vicario; Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Destiny Udogie; Rodrigo Bentancur, Joao Palhinha, Pape Matar Sarr; Mohamed Kudus, Richarlison, Wilson Odobert