Wenger Confirms Quadruple Injury Blow + Trio Face Late Tests Ahead Of Stoke Trip

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has confirmed that he has mounting injury problems ahead of our trip to the Britannia to face Stoke tomorrow.

Speaking to the press this morning, the manager revealed that Nacho Monreal has been ruled out of the game after picking up a knock during our 1-0 win over Southampton on Wednesday night.

The hope is that Kieran Gibbs will come in to replace the Spaniard at left-back but the 24-year-old will need to pass a late test after missing the last two games with a hip injury. Gibbs was among the subs in midweek so hopefully he should be okay to come back in to the starting eleven.

Laurent Koscielny will also be assessed after starting in the last two matches following a lengthy lay-off with an Achilles injury. Wenger wants to play it cautious with the Frenchman so if he does play tomorrow, I suspect he may be rested against Galatasaray next week.

Wojciech Szczesny is due back in full training today having sat out the last three games with a hip injury that he suffered against Man Utd. The Pole will face a late fitness test to see if he’ll be in contention tomorrow and if he’s available, it will be interesting to see if Wenger starts him ahead of Martinez with the youngster keeping three clean sheets during his absence.

The boss also confirmed that Theo Walcott will miss the next two games as he continues to nurse a groin injury that he suffered while away with the England squad last month and he could be joined on the sidelines by Tomas Rosicky and Yaya Sanogo, with the duo major doubts with thigh and calf injuries.

So our injury problems show no signs of relenting and as well as the seven players who could miss out tomorrow, Mesut Ozil, Mathieu Debuchy, Jack Wilshere, Mikel Arteta and David Ospina are also unavailable. Hopefully Gibbs, Koscileny and Szczesny are passed fit, but even if they are, we could be without 9 first team squad players for a tough away game at Stoke.

Boss on @theowalcott: "He has an injection today so he will not play. Galatasaray is also too early" #SCFCvAFC pic.twitter.com/GIrjZtCH3p

— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) December 5, 2014

TEAM NEWS: "@_nachomonreal is out for tomorrow's game. Hopefully @KieranGibbs will be back" #SCFCvAFC pic.twitter.com/4XF08AR2DT

— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) December 5, 2014

Wenger: "We might lose Rosicky (thigh), Sanogo (calf), Szczesny is back in full training today – don't know if available."

— James Olley (@JamesOlley) December 5, 2014

At Colney. Wenger: "Monreal is out for tomorrow's game. Hopefully Kieran Gibbs will be available. Koscielny must be assessed."

— James Olley (@JamesOlley) December 5, 2014