Arsenal Team News: Wenger Offers Update On Wilshere, Ramsey, Koscielny + More

Arsenal take on Everton at the Emirates in the quarter finals of the FA Cup on Saturday afternoon.

Ahead of the game, boss Arsene Wenger has been speaking to the media this morning and gave reporters the latest team news and injury update.

Understandably, there was only one place to start as journalists asked Arsene for his thoughts on Jack Wilshere after the midfielder was ruled out for at least six weeks after fracturing a bone in his left foot while playing for England on Wednesday night.

The boss stressed that he thought the tackle by Liverpool’s Daniel Agger was accidental and suggested that Jack has gone on holiday to take his mind off the injury as he’s currently ‘very down’.

We could also be without the services of Laurent Koscielny after Wenger confirmed that the defender is a doubt for this weekend after missing France’s game on Wednesday night with a tight hamstring. Hopefully he’ll be passed fit but Thomas Vermaelen will be on stand-by if he doesn’t make it.

There was some good news to come from today’s team news update as Arsene revealed that Aaron Ramsey and Kim Kallstrom will return from injury next week. Ramsey has been sidelined since Boxing Day with a thigh injury while Kallstrom has been nursing a back injury since completing his loan move from Spartak Moscow in January, but the duo are now in-line to return against Tottenham next weekend.

Here are some quotes from Arsene’s press conference from Arsenal.com:

on the team news…

Apart from Jack, we have a doubt about Koscielny who has come back with a hamstring problem and didn’t play for France. All the other players came back in a good shape.

on the chance of Koscielny playing…

His scan is clear but we will have to test him today.

on Wilshere playing again this season…

Yes [I expect him to]. There are 11 weeks to go, he will be out for six before he can absorb normal training. His injury will not stop him working on fitness so two weeks after [the first six weeks] he should be competitive. That means the maximum for him to be competitive in a game is eight weeks.

on the return of Ramsey and Kallstrom…

Aaron Ramsey is one week away. I think the next two games are coming too soon for him but for the weekend after [against Tottenham] he should be available. Kallstrom as well.

What team would you like to see start tomorrow? Leave your suggestions below.