Arsenal confirm double injury blow with at least 5 players ruled out of Chelsea trip

Arsenal have confirmed a double injury blow with at least five players ruled out of Tuesday night’s trip to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea.

Sead Kolasinac missed Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Sheffield United after suffering a thigh injury in training last week and the Bosnian international will remain on the sidelines for the Chelsea game tomorrow night.

Arsenal say Kolasinac will also sit out upcoming games against Bournemouth and Burnley but the left-back hopes to resume training during the winter break next month with a view to returning for the home game with Newcastle on February 16.

Mikel Arteta has received a second blow with the news that Reiss Nelson has also been ruled out of tomorrow night’s trip to Chelsea and the subsequent games with Bournemouth and Burnley after picking up a hamstring injury in training.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang won’t feature against Chelsea as he serves the second game of his three-match suspension while Calum Chambers and Kieran Tierney continue their rehabilitation from serious injuries.

Sokratis missed Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Sheffield United due to illness and the Greek international will need to be assessed before his availability for the trip to Stamford Bridge is known so Arteta will be without at least five players against Chelsea.

The team news update on Arsenal.com said:

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Suspended. Further to receiving a red card at Crystal Palace on January 11, suspended for the game against Chelsea (a) and Bournemouth (a).

Calum Chambers
Left knee. Ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament of his left knee during Chelsea (h) on December 29. Successful surgery completed. Rehabilitation process expected to take between six and nine months.

Sead Kolasinac
Left thigh strain. Hoping to return to full training in the winter break period after Burnley (a) on February 2.

Reiss Nelson
Right hamstring. Hoping to return to full training in the winter break period after Burnley (a) on February 2.

Sokratis
Illness. Being assessed ahead of Chelsea (a).

Kieran Tierney
Right shoulder. Dislocated right shoulder during West Ham Utd (a) on December 9. Successful surgery completed. Rehabilitation process expected to take around three months, aiming to return to full training in March.

With Kolasinac and Tierney out, Bukayo Saka is set to continue at left-back against Chelsea as Arsenal look to get back to winning ways following frustrating draws against Crystal Palace and Sheffield United.