Arsenal Team News & Injury Update: Wilshere, Walcott, Podolski & More…

Premier League action returns this weekend following the two week international break and Arsenal welcome relegation-threatened Reading to the Emirates on Saturday afternoon.

Boss Arsene Wenger has been giving his weekly press conference on Thursday morning and has given Arsenal.com a team news and injury update ahead of the game with the latest on Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott, Lukas Podolski, Kieran Gibbs, Ryo Miyaichi, Bacary Sagna and Abou Diaby.

The bad news is that Wilshere is facing another two weeks on the sidelines with an ankle injury that he picked up against Tottenham 3 weeks ago. It was hoped the midfielder would return this weekend but he’s been given another week to rest the problem and will now be pushing to be fit for the West Brom and Norwich games.

Wilshere is joined on the sidelines by winger Walcott who picked up a groin injury while away with England last week. The problem is only considered short term though and he should be back to face WBA next weekend.

Wenger also confirmed that Japan winger Ryo Miyaichi has returned to Arsenal after picking up an ankle injury while on loan at Wigan. Frenchman Abou Diaby is also out of the Reading game with a ‘little problem’ while Gibbs is a serious doubt after going down with sickness this week.

The good news is that Podolski and Sagna both return after missing the last two games with injuries. Here’s what Wenger told the clubs official website:

on Walcott and Wilshere…

Jack (ankle) is still out and Theo is still out because he has a little groin problem. For this weekend he will be short. He is progressing very well but will not be involved on Saturday.

on when they will be back…

It is one week, basically the next game, for Theo. Jack will start to run again outside next week but it might make two weeks for him – on Monday next week he will have been out for four weeks.

on Ryo, who injured his ankle on loan at Wigan…

He is back here. It is long-term for him.

on other injuries…

We have a little problem with Diaby but I cannot tell you more. But he is out for the weekend. Gibbs is sick and in bed. I don’t know if he’ll be involved or not. At the moment we don’t know. We haven’t seen him in the last three days.

on Podolski and Sagna…

They are available.

So we’re going to be without Wilshere, Walcott and Diaby for the visit of Reading while Gibbs may also be out. While their absence is a blow it will give the likes of Ramsey, Rosicky, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Gervinho and Monreal a chance to shine and we should still have enough quality to collect all three points this weekend.

Now we’ve seen the team news what would be your preferred starting eleven for the game? Get involved in the comments section below.