Arsenal Team News: Wenger Confirms Major Injury Blow + Welbeck Fitness Update

Arsenal will look to bounce back from their defeat at Manchester United when they host Swansea City at the Emirates on Wednesday night.

Ahead of the game, Arsene Wenger has been speaking to the media at his pre-match press conference this morning and he’s given reporters a team news and injury update.

Unfortunately, the boss confirmed a major injury blow with the news that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been ruled out for up to two months with a knee injury.

Oxlade-Chamberlain was forced off during the early stages of the second half during our 2-0 defeat to Barcelona last Tuesday night after suffering a knee injury following a collision with Javier Mascherano.

The 22-year-old was sent to see a specialist and undergo further scans to determine the full extent of the problem with Wenger initially hoping the injury wasn’t serious and may only keep the midfielder out for up to three weeks.

However, the boss has now confirmed that while Oxlade-Chamberlain won’t require surgery, the attacker is still expected to be on the sidelines for up to two months meaning he could be out until the end of April.

Elsewhere, Wenger said that we didn’t suffer any fresh injuries at Old Trafford but he will continue to be cautious with Danny Welbeck after the attacker played over 80 minutes on his first league start in over ten months on Sunday.

Therefore, is sounds as though Welbeck could be given a breather tomorrow night with Olivier Giroud likely to come back in to the starting eleven against Swansea.

Here is what the boss is quoted as saying at his press conference by Arsenal.com:

Wenger on @Alex_OxChambo: "He will be out for six to eight weeks but he won't need surgery." https://t.co/fh4FyeG5tv pic.twitter.com/3kaiakAXwv

— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) March 1, 2016

Boss on Welbeck: "I will have to be cautious with him going into #AFCvSCFC." https://t.co/fh4FyeG5tv pic.twitter.com/PYOX8pa5G5

— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) March 1, 2016