Wenger Offers Injury Update On Sanchez, Koscielny & Cazorla

Arsene Wenger has given an update on Alexis Sanchez, Santi Cazorla and Laurent Koscielny after the trio all picked up injuries during Arsenal’s 1-1 draw at Norwich on Sunday afternoon.

Koscielny was the first casualty of the game as the French international was forced off early on with what initially looked like a back complaint. However, Arsene has revealed that the centre-back is actually suffering from a hip problem that’s left him unable to move.

Cazorla was then in the wars as he received treatment in the first half after taking a kick to his knee. The Spaniard was able to continue but the problem got worse as the game wore on and you could tell it was hampering his performance.

The major concern from today’s game was Sanchez as the Chilean international limped off in the second half after suffering a hamstring injury. The boss confirmed at his pre-match press conference that Alexis was a doubt with a minor hamstring concern but we took a risk and unfortunately it’s back-fired.

Speaking to Arsenal.com after the game, Wenger gave his thoughts on the trio:

on Alexis… 

The players are there to play football and not to be rested when the press decides they need to be rested.

on if Alexis’ injury is serious… 

He says it is a kick on his hamstring. I fear the reality is worse than that.

on Cazorla’s injury… 

In the first half he got a kick on the knee and it got worse. I don’t know if he has jaded his knee ligament or he it was just a kick on the nerve but the worrying thing was it got worse during the game. For Koscielny it was a kick on his hip and he could not move at all. We have to assess all of that.

on whether Alexis is putting on a brave face… 

Of course, like everybody. Nobody is scientifically developed enough, not even the press, to predict exactly when a guy would be injured. I must say that with all humility we are not position to predict that, despite all our test he looked alright.

on whether he was okay during the week… 

We checked him and when you have no force and no middle stretch in your hamstring then there is no problem and he had that.

Wenger insists Alexis was fit to start but the fact we knew there was a minor issue with the hamstring means we should never have take a risk with him today. The Chilean has been playing in the ‘red zone’ for weeks and was in desperate need of a rest so we should have taken this opportunity to give him the afternoon off.

He will be assessed, along with Cazorla and Koscielny, over the coming days so let’s keep everything crossed that none of the injuries are serious. However, I have a feeling we might be without all three for at least a couple of weeks which will be a major blow.