NO GAB NO PROBLEM

Arteta to keep calm and carry on despite loss of Brazilian defensive rock

- BY RYAN TAYLOR

MIKEL ARTETA insists Arsenal can cope with injured talisman Gabriel Magalhaes' absence by springing a North London derby surprise against Tottenham tomorrow.

The Brazilian defender is expected to be sidelined for at least one month with a thigh issue.

However, Arteta claims the Gunners have managed without Gabriel before.

And the Spaniard is also optimistic he could well have his ranks bolstered by a number of returning stars this weekend, even if he won't say who.

The Arsenal boss said when asked if Gabriel is the team's most difficult player to replace: "I don't know. He's a big player for us but the good thing is that we have experienced that.

"Last year, in the most crucial moment of the season, we were without him for three months and the team managed to remain competitive. We won a lot of matches, and we were defensively really good against tough opponents, so we need to do it again."

While tomorrow's clash is likely to come too soon for Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres, there is a chance captain Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli could return to the fold.