Arsenal Confirm Player Has Undergone Surgery, 6 Men Ruled Out Of Southampton Trip

Arsenal have confirmed Rob Holding has undergone surgery on his knee injury as six players are ruled out of Sunday’s trip to Southampton.

Holding was stretchered off during our 2-2 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford earlier this month following a clash with Marcus Rashford and it was later confirmed he had damaged the cruciate ligament in his knee.

The club have now revealed that the centre-back has undergone successful surgery on Thursday and Holding will now begin the long road to recovery that’s expected to take between six to nine months.

There is also an update on Emile Smith Rowe and the midfielder is expected to return to full training before the end of the month after suffering a hip injury in training ahead of our Europa League clash with Qarabag.

Dinos Mavropanos is still working his way back from an on-going groin injury that’s hampered him this season while Danny Welbeck is obviously still recovering from a broken ankle so is unlikely to play again this season.

Shkodran Mustafi is currently on the treatment table with a hamstring injury but he would have missed Sunday’s trip to the South Coast due to suspension anyway after he picked up his fifth booking of the season.

Unai Emery’s options at centre-back are further limited by the fact that Sokratis is also suspended this weekend after collecting his fifth booking against Huddersfield Town last Sunday.

The team news update on Arsenal.com read:

Sokratis
Due to receiving his fifth domestic booking, receives a one-match suspension for Southampton (a) on Sunday, December 16.

Shkodran Mustafi
Due to receiving his fifth domestic booking, receives a one-match suspension for Southampton (a) on Sunday, December 16. Shkodran’s hamstring is also being assessed ahead of Tottenham Hotspur (h) on Wednesday, December 19.

Emile Smith Rowe
Right hip. Expected to return to full training in December.

Rob Holding
Left knee. Successful anterior cruciate ligament repair surgery on Thursday.

Dinos Mavropanos
Groin injury. Expected to return to full training in December.

Danny Welbeck
Right ankle. Recovering after surgery.

It means Emery will be without six players against Southampton but we’ve been boosted by the return of Laurent Koscielny as he started his first game of the season with a solid run out during the win over Qarabag last night.

As long as he responds well over the next 48 hours, Koscielny could line-up in a back three alongside Stephan Lichtsteiner and Nacho Monreal on Sunday. If Koscielny is unable to play twice in four days, then Emery may have to revert to a back four.