The combative 28-year-old, South Africa's top bowler in the Test series with 14 wickets, has a severe stress reaction in the second metatarsal.

BBC: SPORT | Cricket | Nel faces lengthy injury lay-off

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger had feared Gibbs, 20, had suffered his second broken metatarsal bone in a year.

BBC: Arsenal's Kieran Gibbs suffers only minor foot injury