Arsenal Injury & Team News Update: Giroud, Diaby, Santos & More…

Arsenal welcome champions Manchester City to the Emirates on Sunday afternoon as part of ‘Super Sunday’ and boss Arsene Wenger has given a team news and injury update ahead of the game.

Speaking to Arsenal.com, the boss gave the latest on striker Olivier Giroud, midfielder Abou Diaby, defender Andre Santos and goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.

Unfortunately Frenchman Giroud is a major doubt to face City after picking up a nasty cut on his leg against Swansea last weekend. The forward hasn’t been able to train all week and will face a fitness test on Saturday but Arsene rates him at only 50:50.

There is more positive news on Diaby and Santos who both made successful returns from injury with a run-out for the under-21’s on Wednesday. Santos got himself on the score-sheet while Diaby is said to have put in an impressive display, and the boss will see how they react to the game before deciding on their involvement this weekend.

It was also confirmed that Fabianski is now 2-3 weeks away from making a return to full training after missing the majority of the camping through injury. Here is what Arsene told the clubs official website:

on the latest updates…

Everyone is fit from last weekend apart from Olivier Giroud. He has not been practising because of the cut on the knee he got at Swansea. We’ll have
a final test on Saturday to see if he is involved against Man City. It is a 50:50. We’ll see.

on Santos and Diaby…

I want to see how they react to the under-21 game they played in midweek. But we have so many games coming up now, it is good they are back.

on Fabianski…

He is not far away [from full training] now, two or three weeks.

So the injury list is improving all the time and I hope Giroud is fit enough to at least make the bench this weekend. We could really do with him as an option from the bench if things aren’t going our way as without him, the alternatives up front are limited.

What would your line-up be for the game? Get involved in the comments section below.