Mikel Arteta reveals quadruple Arsenal injury blow ahead of Real Madrid Champions League tie

Arsenal could be without FOUR key players for their huge Champions League tie against Real Madrid next week.

Arsenal resumed their Premier League campaign on Tuesday with a 2-1 victory over Fulham at the Emirates.

Mikel Merino, who was deployed as a forward, opened the scoring before the returning Bukayo Saka doubled his side's lead in the second-half. Rodrigo Muniz reduced the deficit in stoppage time.

The Gunners kept their dim titles hopes alive but the win over Fulham came at a price.

Gabriel limped off in the 16th minute while Jurrien Timber was forced off in the second-half.

Speaking after Arsenal's win, Mikel Arteta lamented the injuries of Gabriel and Timber.

"The downside is Gabi and Jurrien," he said in his post-match press conference. "We don’t know how they’re going to be. We’ll be assessing them tomorrow to understand better how we are with those two.

"There are two players in this team that never want to come off and it’s those two, probably. Gabi felt something in his hamstring. Jurrien was already struggling very early in the game. He managed to continue [but] at some point he couldn’t."

Gabriel was forced off against Fulham. Image: Getty

Arsenal were already without Riccardo Calafiori and Ben White, who has suffered a fresh setback. He's sidelined with a knee injury, with Arteta explaining: "It was something on his knee."

As for Calafiori, he was forced off late against Germany and missed Italy's next match with a knee problem.

Arteta added: "Calafiori, Ben White, Jurrien and Gabriel Magalhaes - you can imagine [how I feel] with those four players in the defensive line in one week. We have still another four that are so bloody willing that they will do their job."

Arsenal travel to Goodison Park to face Everton on Saturday before hosting Real on April 8 in the first-leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.

The second-leg is scheduled on April 16.