Arsenal Team News: Wenger Confirms Injury Boost But Midfielder Misses Basel Game

Arsenal will be praying for a miracle in order to secure top spot in their Champions League group when we take on Basel in Switzerland on Tuesday night.

Ahead of the game, Arsene Wenger has been speaking to the media at his pre-match press conference this evening and he’s given reporters a team news and injury update.

The boss has confirmed that Olivier Giroud returns to the squad after recovering from a minor groin injury that’s kept him out of our last two matches against Southampton and West Ham.

The French international striker replaces Francis Coquelin in what is a full strength squad with the midfielder suspended after picking up a one-game suspension following his booking against Paris Saint-Germain.

We head in to our final group stage game sitting second in the table and are relying on PSG dropping points at home to Ludogorets to stand a chance of finishing top so many assumed Wenger would take this opportunity to rest some key men.

However, the boss has taken his strongest squad with him to Switzerland and while he is yet to decide on his starting eleven, the French coach will still field a strong side and has hinted that he’ll resist the temptation to to give Alexis Sanchez a breather.

The Chilean international scored a superb hat-trick against West Ham on Saturday and Wenger suggests it’s more beneficial to keep an in-form player in the team than give him a rest.

There was no update on the fitness of Hector Bellerin – who returned to light training today after recovering from an ankle injury – or Per Mertesacker after the German defender also stepped up his rehabilitation following six months out with a knee injury.

Here is what Wenger did tell reporters today:

In Basel. Wenger says strong squad has travelled over from London. "We want to win the game and do our job."

— James Olley (@JamesOlley) December 5, 2016

Coquelin suspended and replaced by Giroud.

— James Olley (@JamesOlley) December 5, 2016

At Basle where Arsene confirms #AFC have the same squad as the West Ham game, with Giroud added.

— Mark Mann-Bryans (@MarkyMBryans) December 5, 2016

Wenger on Sanchez: "Best way when a guy is in a good success and a good confidence, it's more dangerous to stop him"https://t.co/0fH4dkzMVJ

— Mirror Football (@MirrorFootball) December 5, 2016

Wenger: "I keep the group together. Do the players start or not? I will make a decision tomorrow."

— James Olley (@JamesOlley) December 5, 2016