Arsenal Team News: Wenger Offers Update Ahead Of Sunderland Clash

Arsenal will look to put their Champions League disappointment behind them and get their Premier League title push back on track as they take on Sunderland at the Emirates on Saturday afternoon.

Ahead of the game, Arsene Wenger has been speaking to the media at his pre-match press conference on Friday and gave Arsenal.com a team news and injury update.

Left-back Kieran Gibbs was forced off midway through the first half against Bayern Munich on Wednesday and Wenger has confirmed the defender will miss tomorrow’s game with a buttock injury. Gibbs’ absence will see Nacho Monreal start at left-back.

Mikel Arteta returns to the squad after serving his one-match European ban but no other players will be back in contention as Aaron Ramsey, Thomas Vermaelen, Theo Walcott, Kim Kallstrom and Abou Diaby all continue to be sidelined through injury.

Wenger also confirmed he’ll look to make some changes to his starting eleven after Wednesday’s gruelling clash with Bayern, but hasn’t decided the exact line-up yet. He told the clubs website:

on changes from the Bayern game…

In terms of injuries, we have Gibbs (buttock) definitely out for the weekend. Nobody else is coming back apart from Arteta who is back from suspension – he will be available. That should be the squad.

on rotating his side…

There will be changes – that’s for sure. How many I don’t know yet. I have to decide today after training and tonight.

It’s vital the Arsenal players respond and put the disappointing defeat to Bayern behind them as quickly as possible. We’ve only take five points from our last four league games so it’s important we get back on track starting this weekend, and a home clash with Sunderland is a good opportunity to put the pressure on leaders Chelsea.

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