Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes has hinted that he is set to start for the Gunners in their Carabao Cup semi-final clash with Liverpool this evening (Thursday).
Mikel Arteta ’s men host the Reds at the Emirates Stadium, with just 90 minutes separating the two teams from a place in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium on 27 February, where the winners will face Chelsea.
The first-leg at Anfield ended goalless, the Gunners staging an impressive defensive performance despite having gone down to ten men following Granit Xhaka ’s red card.
Arteta then is expected to field a strong team, despite his side’s extensive injury problems, as he attempts to lift his second major trophy as Arsenal manager after the FA Cup in 2020.
One of those key performers who looks set to take to the pitch is Brazilian centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes after he posted a promotional image for the game on his Instagram story.
It will certainly not be a surprise to see the 24-year-old included in the starting line-up, having seen him forge an impressive defensive partnership with summer arrival Ben White.
He has made 20 appearances throughout the current campaign, playing his part in ten clean sheets in that time.
Despite that, the Brazilian’s involvement in the Carabao Cup had been limited thus far. Before the semi-final first-leg at Anfield, he had played just 17 minutes in the competition, having made a brief cameo in the 5-1 thumping of League One outfit Sunderland in December.
Meanwhile, Gabriel’s participation in other competitions has been limited over recent weeks.
After picking up a red card in the Gunners’ slender defeat to Manchester City, he was suspended for Arsenal’s defeat to Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup earlier this month.
A well-publicised lack of players then saw the Gunners' opening leg against Liverpool put back a week, while the North London Derby against Tottenham also had to be postponed.
