Team news: Arsenal confirm fitness boost but 6 others miss Bournemouth trip

Arsenal have provided a full team news and injury update ahead of Monday night’s trip to the Vitality Stadium to take on Bournemouth in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

The club have confirmed a boost with the news that Sokratis is back in full training after missing the last two games due to illness. The Greek centre-back will be assessed over the coming days but I expect he’ll be back in the squad against Bournemouth on Monday.

Sokratis’ return will be a timely one as David Luiz will miss the FA Cup clash due to suspension after being sent off during the 2-2 draw with Chelsea on Tuesday night while Calum Chambers has been ruled out for the rest of the season following surgery on his ruptured ACL.

Sead Kolasinac is also still unavailable as he continues to recover from a thigh strain and Kieran Tierney won’t be back until March after undergoing shoulder surgery in December so Mikel Arteta doesn’t have too many options in defence.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will serve the final game of his three-match suspension following his sending off against Crystal Palace while Reiss Nelson isn’t expected to return until after next month’s winter break as he continues to recover from a hamstring problem.

A team news update on Arsenal.com this morning confirmed:

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Suspended. Further to receiving a red card at Crystal Palace (a) on January 11, suspended for Monday’s game at Bournemouth.

Calum Chambers
Left knee. Ruptured anterior cruciate ligament of his left knee during Chelsea (h) on December 29. Successful surgery completed. Rehabilitation process expected to take between six and nine months.

Sead Kolasinac
Left thigh strain. Hoping to return to full training in the winter break period after Burnley (a) on February 2.

David Luiz
Suspended. Further to receiving red card at Chelsea (a) on January 21, suspended for Monday’s game at Bournemouth.

Reiss Nelson
Right hamstring. Hoping to return to full training in the winter break period after Burnley (a) on February 2.

Sokratis
Back in full training further to illness. Being assessed ahead of Bournemouth (a).

Kieran Tierney
Right shoulder. Dislocated right shoulder during West Ham Utd (a) on December 9. Successful surgery completed. Good progress being made in rehabilitation process with participation in regular outdoor fitness sessions. Aiming to return to full training in March.

As long as Sokratis is passed fit, Arsenal will be without six players for the trip to the south coast on Monday night as we look to book our place in the next round of the FA Cup having edged past Leeds in the previous phase of the competition.

Arteta is expected to rotate his starting eleven with the likes of Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Rob Holding, Matteo Guendouzi, Joe Willock, Dani Ceballos and Eddie Nketiah all pushing for recalls to the starting eleven.