Arsenal will not have the service of Gabriel Magalhaes in the North London derby after he suffered a serious injury during the international break. The Brazilian defender could be out until January due to a thigh problem.
Gabriel has played in all 11 of Arsenal's Premier League games this season. The 27-year-old has never missed a single minute under manager Mikel Arteta this season, contributing significantly to the Gunners' top flight.
Mikel Arteta will be forced to adjust the lineup for Thomas Frank's Tottenham, as Arsenal look to recover from the draw with Sunderland. Currently, the "Gunners" are 8 points ahead of their opponents, while Tottenham are currently in fifth place in the rankings.
The Arsenal coach will probably feel pressured by such an important decision. Mikel Arteta could be somewhat reassured by the 2025 summer transfer deals made by Andrea Berta, bringing in new options such as Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera.
Although it is difficult to change much in an already successful system, Mikel Arteta still has to carefully consider personnel.
Piero Hincapie
The Ecuador international can play as both a centre-back and a left-back. In many aspects, Hincapie is considered a relatively easy choice for Arteta.
In the recent 0-0 draw with Canada, Hincapie not only wore the equatorian captain's armband but also had an impressive defensive performance.
This central defender won 80% of duels and made 12 defensive situations, proving his class.
However, the 23-year-old has only made two official appearances so far at Arsenal, when his playing time was interrupted by a groin injury.
Cristhian Mosquera
The young star Cristhian Mosquera showed impressive defensive ability in the match against Liverpool. The 21-year-old used to play as a left-sided centre-back at Valencia, despite his good footing.
Mosquera has also played alongside William Saliba this season. They have been playing together since September, when Arsenal beat Port Vale in the Carabao Cup.
Speaking in September, following the win over Nottingham Forest, Mikel Arteta said: "It's not easy to adapt to the new league and style of play, but Mosquera is a great example."
However, a small problem is Mosquera's right foot advantage. Using him alongside Saliba (who is also a right-footed midfielder) could cause an imbalance between the right-footed centre-back and the left-footed centre-back - an arrangement Arteta often likes.
Riccardo Calafiori
Another surprising option could be Italian star Riccardo Calafiori. The former Bologna player joined Arsenal in 2024 and is a versatile player.
Calafiori has proven his talent at left-back this season, but has often been deployed as a senior in Arteta's system.
Myles Lewis-Skelly could take that position if Calafiori is transferred. However, it is also possible to sympathize with the Arsenal coach when he does not want to change too many at the same time.
