Arsenal Team News: Club Confirm Injury Blow As 4 Players Ruled Out Of Qarabag Game

Arsenal will be looking to continue their fine recent form when we take on Qarabag in Azerbaijan on Thursday night in the group stages of the Europa League.

Ahead of the game the club have published a team news and injury update on Arsenal.com with the latest on Petr Cech, Emile Smith Rowe, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Dinos Mavropanos and Laurent Koscielny.

Unfortunately, Cech has been ruled out for up to four weeks after the club confirmed he suffered a hamstring injury during Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Watford at the Emirates on Saturday afternoon.

Cech pulled up just before half-time and was replaced by Bernd Leno after injuring his hamstring while taking a routine goal kick and the 36-year-old is now facing around a month on the sidelines.

Maitland-Niles is making good progress in his recovery from a fractured leg that he suffered during our defeat to Manchester City on the opening weekend of the season and the versatile midfielder is due to return to training any day now.

Mavropanos is still on the sidelines as the centre-back will be out for the next few weeks due to a groin injury while Koscielny won’t return to training until November as he continues to work his way back from Achilles surgery.

However, it wasn’t all bad news as the club have also confirmed that Smith Rowe is available for selection against Qarabag tomorrow night after recovering from a hip injury that he picked up against Brentford last week.

Here is the update published on Arsenal.com:

Emile Smith Rowe
Now available for selection following right hip issue during Brentford match last Wednesday.

Petr Cech
Left hamstring injury. Expected to return to full training in 3-4 weeks.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles
Small fracture to left fibula. Progressing well and now expected to return to full training in early October (initially aiming to return to training in November).

Dinos Mavropanos
Groin injury. Expected to return to full training by the end of October.

Laurent Koscielny
Right Achilles tendon repair. Now working outside. Aiming to return to full training in November.

Cech’s injury will come as a blow but it opens the door for Leno to try and establish himself as Unai Emery’s number one and he performed very well after replacing Cech against Watford at the weekend.