Arsenal Team News: Wenger Confirms Double Blow But Offers Positive Striker Update

Arsenal will look to make it three wins in a row when they entertain Burnley at the Emirates on Saturday afternoon.

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

The boss confirmed that although Jack Wilshere is available again having served his one-match ban, the midfielder a doubt for the game after picking up a knee injury in training.

Thankfully the problem is a minor one and while he’ll be assessed at training this afternoon, Wenger expects Wilshere to miss tomorrow’s game and possibly even Tuesday’s Champions League clash against Anderlecht, but he should be available for next weeks trip to Swansea.

In what’s a double blow, we also have a doubt over Kieran Gibbs after he limped out of last weeks 2-0 win at Sunderland with a hip injury. He’ll also face a late fitness test but thankfully Wenger is more optimistic that the full-back will make it.

The final update was on Olivier Giroud and the boss had some excellent news after revealing that the Frenchman is ‘miles ahead of schedule’ and is set to rejoin full training after the international break.

Wenger told the clubs website:

on the latest team news…

With the long-term injuries nobody is back. We have a slight problem with Wilshere. Will he be available [on Saturday] or not? I will see today. Gibbs as well has a test, but I am quite positive about him. About Wilshere I don’t think he will be available.

on Wilshere…

Very, very short-term. He got a kick on his knee. I don’t know if Tuesday will be too early or not, at the moment he doesn’t practice, but certainly Swansea, yes.

on Olivier Giroud…

[He is doing] very well. He’s three weeks ahead of schedule and I think he will join in normal training after the international break.

on that being a big boost…

Yes of course. He’s miles ahead of schedule.

Obviously it’s excellent news to have Giroud back sooner than expected and he should now resume training around the 17th November, but it’s important to remember he’ll need a couple of weeks to get back up to speed before being in contention to play.

With Wilshere looking likely to miss out this weekend I think we’ll see Aaron Ramsey start alongside Mikel Arteta in midfield while Nacho Monreal is on standby to deputise at left-back if Gibbs is ruled out, which would see Hector Bellerin come in at right-back and Calum Chambers moved into the middle of defence.