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Team news: Attacker returns but Arsenal star to miss West Ham & Liverpool games

By on December 18, 2017

aaron ramsey arsenal

Arsenal are back in action tomorrow night as we welcome West Ham to the Emirates in the quarter finals of the Carabao Cup.

Arsene Wenger has provided a team news update ahead of the game and unfortunately he’s confirmed that Aaron Ramsey won’t be available until the start of January.

Ramsey has missed the recent Premier League games with Newcastle United and West Ham after picking up a hamstring injury during our draw at Southampton last weekend.

The boss says Rambo is back running again but is expected to take 10 days until he’s fully fit so he’ll sit out the upcoming games with West Ham, Liverpool and Crystal Palace.

Wenger also provided an update on Shkodran Mustafi and while the centre-back is now over his thigh injury, the German international won’t be involved tomorrow as he’ll be held back for the Liverpool game on Friday night.

However, one player certain to feature against West Ham is Theo Walcott as the boss has revealed the attacker is now 100% fit after recovering from a groin problem and will start tomorrow night.

We’ve heavily rotated in all cup games so far this season and Wenger is expected to do so again – but he still insists he’ll field a starting eleven packed with quality and experience.

The boss told Arsenal.com:

on Ramsey…
Ramsey was out running [on Monday] but he will not be back in the next 10 days. For him, the beginning of January is more likely.

on Mustafi…
Shkodran is back again. I will not use him on Tuesday but he’s available again.

on Walcott…
Theo is 100 per cent, he will play on Tuesday.

on his rotation plans…
Some players are a little bit on the edge. I think as well that we have so many quality players who did not start on Saturday, so you cannot say that you prefer to play a player who has played three games in six days to a guy who is at the same level and is completely fresh. The players who will start are basically all international players, so that’s why I think [squad rotation] makes sense. You have as well to show the trust and the confidence that we have in the players who did not start last week.

I expect we’ll see the likes of David Ospina, Calum Chambers, Matt Debuchy, Francis Coquelin and Olivier Giroud join Theo in the starting eleven tomorrow night. Stay tuned for my preferred XI article up soon….

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