Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin has been ruled out for four weeks with injury. PHOTO/courtesy
LONDON, United Kingdom, Jan 5 – Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Francis Coquelin will be sidelined for a month with a hamstring injury, while also providing updates on a number of injured personnel.
The 25-year-old Frenchman had to be withdrawn after just 28 minutes of the Gunners’ 3-3 draw with Bournemouth on Tuesday, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain coming on in his place.
Speaking ahead of the Gunners’ FA Cup clash with Preston North End on Saturday, Wenger said: “He is out for three or four weeks now, it is his hamstring.
“I say three or four weeks because it is a hamstring and he came off, but maybe we will have good news. He will have a scan today, but I always count three weeks.”
Mesut Ozil has, meanwhile, sat out the Gunners’ last two matches, with Wenger adding: “He is coming in today, and will be assessed by the doctor but he has been in bed for two weeks so I cannot imagine I will involve him on Saturday.
“It is flu, a throat infection – I don’t know exactly.”
Wenger also revealed that Lucas Perez sustained an ankle problem against Bournemouth, while also giving updates on a few other key players.
“Well, we might have a problem with Lucas because he injured his ankle and I have to see how he responds to that but that is the only problem we have from the game.
“Coming back, the closest is [Theo] Walcott but he is still not ready, [Kieran] Gibbs will not be ready so I don’t think will be coming back into the squad.”
On Santi Cazorla, he explained: “At the moment, he is far [from returning]. It’s not going as quickly as I imagined it, so certainly in January he will not come back.”
