Arsenal press conference LIVE – Mikel Arteta on Gabriel and White, injury woes and Everton

Mikel Arteta faces the media ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Everton at Goodison Park

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta attends a press conference at Sobha Realty Training Centre before

Mikel Arteta faces the press ahead of Arsenal’s last match before their titanic meeting with Real Madrid as the Gunners travel to Everton at Goodison Park for the final time before they leave their current home for a new stadium.

Arteta speaks for the first time since learning that his star defender Gabriel Magalhaes will miss the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury. This is the third player who must undergo surgery for the specific issue this season and the fifth hamstring blow of the campaign.

Bukayo Saka has only just returned while Kai Havertz will not, like Gabriel, until next season. Both Gabriel Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri have suffered issues which did not require surgery during the season too.

Arteta is likely to be asked about his views on why this has happened and how he expects the team to respond. Furthermore, clarity on Jurrien Timber and Ben White is also anticipated ahead of a big week for the club.

You can hear everything Arteta has to say on all that and much more with football.london’s chief Arsenal correspondent Tom Canton in our live blog below.

Every word from Mikel Arteta

We will have the full transcript for

On Merino wanting to always carry on as a striker

He is a joy to work with, and that’s one of the reasons why we wanted to bring him into the club.

On if he wants sometimes to wrap players up in cotton wool

He needs exposure. The other day he felt really well, and he wants more. He’s demanding more and wants

On Bukayo

Yeah that’s a possibility, we’re going to decide tomorrow. We have a lot of pieces to move. It’s a lot to decide.

Defensive partnership

I think the best person to ask about Gabi is William. Because that is a partnership. When you ask William who he wants play next to I think that answer is obvious.

On if Arsenal can do anything

We can do. The sample I think is very small, last season I think we were the best. We started with a small squad.

On hamstring injuries

No I dont think its specific to Arsenal and its very difficult to put it into just one motive. We’ve had four and they are completely differtent.

The biggest game for us is Everton.

On De Bruyne being the best, as he announces he will be leading

Up there! I dont know if he’s one, two or three. But for me he is one of the best in the players in the Premier League.

On AI determining Arteta the best looking manager in the league

My Mum and Dad should be very proud.

13:37Tom Canton

On the last game for Arsenal at Everton

It will be very special, a lot of history between the clubs and with a manager who has just come back now and for David as well. It’s never easy to come back for a second

On Bukayo coming back

Like always through a difficult situation a really nice one can appear. All the moments he’s had in the last four months I think they’ve paid off.

On Ben and Jurrien being available

Yeah, there is a chance. The problem is we have a few of those and we will decide ve

Ricci is not fit as well. In the last week or so we lost four players.

Let’s see how Ben and Jurrien are tomorrow.

On players coming in

Well it has to be because we’ve come so far. We have to react to those things and it means other players are going to have chances to play.

On another hamstring injury

Well it was a tough one to digest as we just got Bukayo back. The team reacted like it has reacted all season. He’s going to

He is in the room! Updates to follow.

Sol Campbell backs Myles Lewis-Skelly

Myles Lewis-Skelly returned to Arsenal and started against Fulham in their 2-1 win on Tuesday evening. It was a night overshadowed by the return of Bukayo Saka and the unfortunate injury suffered by Gabriel Magalhaes.

Yet, stripping away those headlines, for Myles it was yet another top performance from a player still only 18-years-old. Yes, there was perhaps an error which contributed to the Cottager’s late goal, although he was not helped much by teammate Jakub Kiwior either.

However, his overall performance against was what fans have come to expect. The noise of his controversial, or at least that is how some describe it, celebration against Manchester City when he mimicked Erling Haaland has since died down, mercifully.

Gabriel injury blow

Today will be the first time we hear from the Arsenal boss since the club confirmed Gabriel will play no further part of the season.

The Brazilian injured his hamstring against Fulham on Tuesday and requires surgery.

In a statement Arsenal said: “Further to being substituted during our match against Fulham on Tuesday, we can confirm that Gabriel Magalhaes has sustained a hamstring injury which requires surgery.

“Gabi will undergo a surgical repair procedure to his hamstring in the coming days, and immediately begin his recovery and rehabilitation programme, with the aim to be ready for the start of next season.

“Everyone at the club will be fully focused on supporting Gabi to ensure he is back to full fitness as soon as possible.”

Gabriel Magalhaes clutches his hamstring during Arsenal’s win over

Meeting Andrea Berta, key Arsenal transfer mission and the Saka show – Inside the Emirates

It has been a whirlwind few days for Arsenal as they returned to domestic action following the international break.

However, within them came insights and moments which could have far longer-lasting impacts on the team and the long-term strategy of the club.

football.london. Let’s go behind the scenes, inside the Emirates and detail what we’ve learned and witnessed.

Andrea Berta was announced as Arsenal’s new sporting director this week

What time does it start?

The press conference is due to start at 1:30pm (UK time).

Mikel Arteta is expected to address a number of topics, including:

– Gabriel being ruled out for the season

– Who could replace Gabriel

– Ben White, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori injury latest

– Thoughts on Everton and visiting Goodison Park for one final time

– Looking ahead to Real Madrid