Arsenal Boss Offers Update After Key Man Suffers Injury During Tottenham Defeat

Arsene Wenger has confirmed Alexandre Lacazette aggravated a knee injury during Arsenal’s defeat to Tottenham after the striker was ruled out for at least four weeks.

A statement on Arsenal.com yesterday afternoon revealed that Lacazette was forced to undergo surgery on his left knee in London on Tuesday morning and has been ruled out for at least a month.

The French international had been carrying the problem in recent weeks and it seems the injury worsened during his cameo appearance against Spurs on Saturday afternoon which resulted in immediate medical treatment.

Lacazette came off the bench with Arsenal trailing 1-0 at Wembley and missed a golden chance to snatch a point in stoppage time with Wenger suggesting after the game the striker was suffering from a confidence problem.

The 26-year-old has lost his first team place following the arrival of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in January and Lacazette has scored just once in his last 12 appearances for Arsenal.

However, Wenger has now suggested that the striker’s form has been affected by a niggling knee injury which has now ruled him out until at least the middle of March.

Wenger is quoted as saying by the Evening Standard:

“He got a surprising swell of the knee after the game against Tottenham and he needed surgery very quick,”

“It’s a massive blow for us and we have to find a solution. Nobody could predict that. Football does unpredictable things and it’s always a good opportunity for someone to step in and do well.

“I think he recently must have felt something in his knee. Maybe that’s an explanation as to why he wasn’t scoring as many goals as he’s used to.”

Lacazette’s injury is a hammer blow to Arsenal as he was due to be their leading striker in the Europa League tie with Ostersunds and his absence leaves Wenger with few options in attack.

Aubameyang is ineligible so Danny Welbeck is set to lead the line up front against the Swedish minnows on Thursday with youngster Eddie Nketiah offering support from the bench.