Highly owned Fantasy Premier League (FPL) defenders Gabriel and Ola Aina went off injured on Tuesday (April 1), leaving many managers with a headache ahead of Gameweek 31.
FPL had been back for just 15 minutes when Arsenal&#8217;s Gabriel was forced off with a hamstring injury against Fulham.
The Brazilian centre-back will have been a lock in the majority of Gameweek 30 Wildcard teams &#8211; and his injury could hand an early advantage to those who held off using the chip until Gameweek 31.
Nottingham Forest full-back Aina meanwhile lasted 39 minutes of the 1-0 win over Manchester United, with a lower leg issue meaning he was unable to continue.
With the defenders owned by 31.7% and 28.4% of managers respectively, plenty of FPL fans have some thinking to do ahead of the weekend &#8211; but what is the best plan and who are the best replacements?

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<h2>What is the latest on Gabriel?</h2>
Latest Update (Thursday, April 3rd): According to an <a href="https://www.arsenal.com/news/injury-update-gabriel-magalhaes">update from Arsenal</a>, Gabriel will undergo surgery and is now expected to miss the remainder of the season.
Arsenal welcomed Bukayo Saka back from a long-term injury on Tuesday, with the Englishman coming off the bench to score the Gunners&#8217; second goal.
But injuries have been a thorn in manager Mikel Arteta&#8217;s side this season &#8211; and they were again when Gabriel went down holding the back of his leg against Fulham.
Jurrien Timber also came off in the second half with a knee issue, further reducing Arteta&#8217;s options at the back should he be ruled out.
Speaking after the game, Arteta said:
<blockquote>&#8220;The downside is Gabi [Gabriel] and Jurrien. 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.
&#8220;There are two players in this team that never want to come off and it’s those two, probably.
&#8220;Gabi felt something in his hamstring. Jurriën was already struggling very early in the game. He managed to continue [but] at some point he couldn’t.&#8221;</blockquote>
<div id="attachment_71803" style="width: 808px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-71803" class="size-full wp-image-71803" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Gabriel-GW1-30.jpg" alt="Gabriel's stats" width="798" height="650" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Gabriel-GW1-30.jpg 798w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Gabriel-GW1-30-300x244.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Gabriel-GW1-30-768x626.jpg 768w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Gabriel-GW1-30-610x497.jpg 610w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 798px) 100vw, 798px" />Gabriel&#8217;s <a href="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/opta/" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c="1" title="FPL Stats by OPTA - Player and Team Stats">stats</a></div>
<h2>What is the latest on Aina?</h2>
Aina received treatment on the pitch for what looked like a calf injury before being substituted.
Footage from the Forest dressing room after the game showed <a href="https://metro.co.uk/2025/04/01/ola-aina-injury-update-nottingham-forest-beat-manchester-united-22832932/">crutches</a> in Aina&#8217;s space.
Nuno Espirito Santo said post-match:
<blockquote>“I cannot say a lot &#8211; it is always a concern when a player gets injured by himself.
&#8220;We will give him a scan and then see how it looks. I am not quite sure what the precise problem is. The scan will tell us more.&#8221;</blockquote>
Espirito Santo was already without star striker Chris Wood, with the New Zealand international failing to recover from a hip issue in time for the United match.
Callum Hudson-Odoi also missed out due to a personal issue but is expected to be available at the weekend.
On Wood, the Forest boss said:
<blockquote>&#8220;We will monitor Chris day-by-day still. It is getting better. Tomorrow, I hope it is better again.&#8221;</blockquote>
<div id="attachment_71804" style="width: 808px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-71804" class="size-full wp-image-71804" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Aina-GW1-30.jpg" alt="Ola Aina's stats" width="798" height="650" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Aina-GW1-30.jpg 798w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Aina-GW1-30-300x244.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Aina-GW1-30-768x626.jpg 768w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Aina-GW1-30-610x497.jpg 610w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 798px) 100vw, 798px" />Ola Aina&#8217;s <a href="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/opta/" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c="1" title="FPL Stats by OPTA - Player and Team Stats">stats</a></div>
<h2>Are Gabriel and Aina a sell in FPL?</h2>
While both injuries look potentially serious, FPL managers can afford to wait at least a couple of days before deciding what to do.
Chip strategy will play a part in decision making.
Those wildcarding ahead of Gameweek 31 are unlikely to include either if there are doubts.
But with Arsenal doubling in Gameweek 33 and Bench Boosts likely to be activated, Gameweek 30 wildcarders may be tempted to keep hold of Gabriel in the hope he&#8217;s fit in time.
Neither are predicted to fall in price at the time of writing &#8211; but keep an eye on our prediction tool as things can change quickly.
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/fantasy-premier-league-price-rises">FPL price changes predictor</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Best Gabriel and Aina FPL replacements</h2>
Pre-injury, Gabriel topped the Hub AI predicted points table for defenders up to Gameweek 33.
A straight swap to William Saliba &#8211; second for predicted points &#8211; could be a straightforward move.
Arsenal have problems at the back however, so may not be as defensively solid as usual. Gabriel, Timber and Riccardo Calafiori are among the absentees alongside Ben White, who was left out of the Fulham squad with a knee &#8216;niggle&#8217;.
<div id="attachment_71806" style="width: 808px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-71806" class="size-full wp-image-71806" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Saliba-GW1-30.jpg" alt="William Saliba's stats" width="798" height="650" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Saliba-GW1-30.jpg 798w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Saliba-GW1-30-300x244.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Saliba-GW1-30-768x626.jpg 768w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Saliba-GW1-30-610x497.jpg 610w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 798px) 100vw, 798px" />William Saliba&#8217;s <a href="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/opta/" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c="1" title="FPL Stats by OPTA - Player and Team Stats">stats</a></div>
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Newcastle, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Manchester City all have upcoming double gameweeks as well as Arsenal.
Daniel Munoz and Josko Gvardiol are both popular picks already but rank among the best predicted point scorers.
Those on Gvardiol already could consider a double up with either Ruben Dias or the slightly cheaper Abdukodir Khusanov.
Kieran Trippier could become a regular starter for Newcastle again following the injury to Lewis Hall but comes in at a pricey £5.6m.
Cheaper Magpies alternatives are Tino Livramento and Dan Burn &#8211; but Burn is two yellow cards away from a two-match ban.
Ezri Konsa is among the most nailed Villa defenders and has Southampton (A) and a double in Gameweek 33. The Southampton game could see mass rotation amid the Villans&#8217; involvement in the Champions League however.
<div id="attachment_71807" style="width: 808px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-71807" class="size-full wp-image-71807" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Konsa-GW1-30.jpg" alt="Ezri Konsa's stats" width="798" height="650" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Konsa-GW1-30.jpg 798w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Konsa-GW1-30-300x244.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Konsa-GW1-30-768x626.jpg 768w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Konsa-GW1-30-610x497.jpg 610w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 798px) 100vw, 798px" />Ezri Konsa&#8217;s <a href="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/opta/" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c="1" title="FPL Stats by OPTA - Player and Team Stats">stats</a></div>
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Away from the doublers, Forest have kept the most clean sheets in the league (13).
While they are not expected to have a double in Gameweek 33, they are likely to have a fixture in Blank Gameweek 34.
Neco Williams, Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo have been ever-presents in the Tricky Trees&#8217; backline alongside Aina.
Williams comes in cheapest but Milenkovic is the main goal threat, with four goals from 3.39 expected goals (xG) this season.
Here are the top 10 for predicted points over the next three gameweeks. Gabriel is only flagged at 75% by FPL currently, so expect his predicted points to drop significantly if this is lowered.
<div id="attachment_71805" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-71805" class="size-large wp-image-71805" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Predicted-points-defenders-1024x602.jpg" alt="Defender predicted points Gameweek 31-33" width="1024" height="602" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Predicted-points-defenders-1024x602.jpg 1024w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Predicted-points-defenders-300x176.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Predicted-points-defenders-768x451.jpg 768w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Predicted-points-defenders-610x359.jpg 610w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Predicted-points-defenders-1080x635.jpg 1080w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Predicted-points-defenders.jpg 1140w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Defender predicted points Gameweek 31-33</div>
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