Arsenal Team News: Wenger Confirms Double Fitness Boost + Wilshere Latest

Arsene Wenger has given Arsenal.com his latest team news ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League game with Crystal Palace at the Emirates this weekend.

The boss was pleased to confirm a double boost with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Santi Cazorla set to step-up their comebacks at some point next week.

Oxlade-Chamberlain has been nursing a knee injury for the past six weeks since suffering the problem during our Champions League clash against Barcelona back in February while Cazorla has been out for even longer having sustained knee ligament damage way back in November.

The midfield duo have been undertaking light training over the past couple of weeks as they look to work on their fitness but Wenger says the pair are now set to step-up their recoveries by returning to full training next week.

The boss also confirmed that Jack Wilshere and Tomas Rosicky will continue to build on their match fitness by starting for the under-21’s against Swansea City this afternoon.

Jack made his first appearance on the football pitch this season after playing for the under-21’s last Friday while Rosicky also turned out for the youth side last week as he looks to recover from a thigh injury and both players came through that match unscathed.

Otherwise, we have no fresh injury problems following the draw at West Ham. Wenger told the clubs website:

on Oxlade-Chamberlain and Cazorla…

Next week they will be back maybe, they are not back in full training yet. They are still on fitness work.

on Wilshere and Rosicky…

Jack and Tomas are playing today for the under-21s. They have had no reaction from last Friday’s game and they look alright.

on other team news…

From last Saturday’s game against West Ham, we should have everyone available who was in the squad.

As long as Wilshere doesn’t suffer any setbacks today, he could play for the under-21’s again on Monday before finally putting himself in contention for a first team return against West Brom next Thursday.

It’s great to hear that Oxlade-Chamberlain and Cazorla are close to returning to full training as they should be available for our final three or four games this season as long as they don’t have any setbacks once they step-up their workloads next week.