Arsenal Team News: Wenger Confirms Injury Blow But Duo Set To Return vs Tottenham

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Arsene Wenger has confirmed Olivier Giroud will miss the North London Derby but there is better news regarding the fitness of three other Arsenal players.

Giroud returned to London Colney early after sustaining a thigh injury while away with the French squad during the international break last week.

The Arsenal striker picked up the problem during the warm-up ahead of France’s 2-0 win over Wales but still started the game and aggravated the injury before limping off in the second half.

Wenger has described the injury as short term but the Arsenal boss doesn’t expect the 31-year-old hitman to be available to face rivals Tottenham this weekend.

Losing Giroud will be a blow but his absence will be offset by the return of Danny Welbeck as the striker is set to make his comeback from a groin injury on Saturday.

Welbeck has been on the sidelines for over a month since limping off at Watford in October but the Arsenal attacker is back in full training and should be in contention to face Spurs.

There was also some positive news on Shkodran Mustafi as the centre-back is also set to make his return to action after overcoming a thigh injury that’s kept him out for the past month.

Mustafi has missed Arsenal’s last seven games in all competitions since suffering the injury during the last international break but like Welbeck he’s been in full training this week.

Wenger says he will make a final check on the pair after training on Friday but both Welbeck and Mustafi are expected to be fit to return to the squad against Tottenham.

Arsenal fans were relieved to see Laurent Koscielny given a rest during France’s 2-2 draw with Germany on Tuesday night amid reports he’d aggravated his Achilles injury in training.

Wenger says the centre-back needed the rest in midweek and had Didier Deschamps decided to risk Koscielny against Germany, there was no way the defender would have been able to face Spurs.

The Frenchman told Arsenal.com:

on if everyone returned fit and healthy from their international games…
We still have some people coming in today. They’ll have a medical check today and a recovery check.

on the rest of the team news…
Mustafi will have a final check [on Friday], Welbeck as well. I’ll make decisions on all of them [on Friday].

on Koscielny being rested in midweek for France…
It was needed for him. We couldn’t use him for a number of games, he just came back against City because he had an Achilles tendon injury. If he had played in midweek, he certainly would not have been available for Saturday.

on Olivier Giroud…
Olivier picked up an injury, and I don’t think he will be available for Saturday. It is short term and he should start [training] on Monday, we will have to assess him then but I don’t think he will be available this weekend.

Arsenal head in to the weekend action sitting sixth in the table and four points adrift of third-placed Tottenham so Wenger will be desperate to close the gap with a win over their north London rivals at the Emirates.

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