Arsenal
Arsenal Pre-Chelsea Team News: Wenger On Ramsey, Mertesacker, Wilshere & Bellerin
Arsene Wenger has given a team news update on Aaron Ramsey, Hector Bellerin, Per Mertesacker and Jack Wilshere ahead of Arsenal’s game with Chelsea.
Arsenal will look to put their Champions League disappointment behind them when they take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon.
Ahead of the game, Arsene Wenger has been speaking to the media at his pre-match press conference this morning and has given Arsenal.com a team news and injury update.
The boss confirmed that Aaron Ramsey and Hector Bellerin were left back in North London for Wednesday night’s loss at Dinamo Zagreb in order to rest ahead of the Chelsea game and aren’t injured, meaning the duo will return to the squad tomorrow.
Unfortunately it looks like Per Mertesacker will miss out though as Wenger confirmed that the German centre-back could be a bit short of fitness after missing almost a month with a nasty virus.
The final update was regarding Jack Wilshere and Arsene revealed that the midfielder is due to undergo surgery next week to cure a hairline fracture in his left fibula which he initially suffered at the start of August. Wilshere is expected to be out for around three months.
Here is what the boss told Arsenal.com:
on the team news…
We have no injuries and we left Ramsey and Bellerin behind [for the Zagreb game]. They integrate into the squad again. Mertesacker may still be a bit short, I have to decide that today (Friday).
on Mertesacker…
It was an illness.
on Jack Wilshere…
He will have surgery next week and it is a blow, a big problem. But on the short term only because it does not damage his future.
Ramsey is likely to come straight back into the starting eleven on the right-wing with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain favourite to drop out while Bellerin should resume his role at right-back ahead of Mathieu Debuchy.
With Mertesacker looking likely to miss out, Brazilian international Gabriel should continue alongside Laurent Koscielny in the middle of defence.
We head to Stamford Bridge sitting six points clear of defending champions Chelsea so it would be a huge boost if we could come away with a positive result tomorrow afternoon.
