Arsenal Injury Update: Bad News On Szczesny & Gibbs Ahead Of United Trip

Arsenal travel north to face Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday lunchtime and manager Arsene Wenger has given an injury update ahead of the game.

At his weekly press conference on Thursday morning, the Frenchman gave the latest on Gervinho, Wojciech Szczesny, Kieran Gibbs and Abou Diaby, and unfortunately it’s not good news Gooners.

Gervinho has been ruled out for three weeks after injuring his ankle shortly after coming on against QPR on Saturday, so will definitely miss the United game.

However, while we have no fresh injuries after Tuesday’s 7-5 win over Reading, Wenger has confirmed that Szczesny, Diaby and most importantly Gibbs will also be missing after failing to recover in time to make the trip to Old Trafford.

Wenger is quoted as saying by the Independent:

“Compared to last week Gervinho is of course out, for we think three weeks,” he said.

“We have no comebacks, no Wojciech [Szczesny], no [Kieran] Gibbs, no [Abou] Diaby of course as well.

“Basically the squad should be approximately the squad we had last week. We have no injuries as well from Tuesday night.”

This means we’ll have to stick with Vito Mannone in goal and the hapless Andre Santos at left back. Santos in particular is a worry as he’s looked out-of-sorts in recent games and well below the standards required to play United away from home.

Santos was torn apart by Farfan against Schalke and was also given a tough time by the QPR attack, so god help him against Valencia and Rafael on Saturday. The United duo were devastating at Stamford Bridge last Sunday and gave Ashley Cole a torrid time. If Cole can’t contain them what hope is there for Santos?

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Fergie target that side of the pitch again this weekend, let’s just hope Andre puts in the performance of a lifetime!

Are you worried about Santos facing United? Get involved in the comments section.

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