Quantcast
Home   >   News   >   Arsenal team news: Wenger confirms double fitness boost ahead of Man City clash

Arsenal team news: Wenger confirms double fitness boost ahead of Man City clash

By on February 23, 2018

mesut ozil arsenal

Arsene Wenger spoke at his press conference this morning ahead of our Carabao Cup final with Manchester City and he’s provided the latest team news.

The boss was pleased to confirm that we didn’t pick up any fresh injuries during our embarrassing Europa League defeat to Ostersunds at the Emirates last night.

Alex Iwobi did limp off during the final minutes with cramp and he’ll need to be checked over the next couple of days but I don’t expect he’ll be ruled out of the City game.

Aaron Ramsey missed the Ostersunds game having only returned to full training on Wednesday following two weeks on the sidelines with a groin injury that he picked up earlier this month.

Wenger says the Welsh international will be assessed tomorrow but he looks ‘OK’ so Ramsey should be in contention to face City at Wembley on Sunday afternoon – which is a big boost.

There was also positive news on Mesut Ozil as the boss says he’s made a successful return to training and should be fit for the cup final after recovering from a sickness bug.

Wenger told Arsenal.com:

on the main team news…
From Thursday night, we don’t know what kind of state Alex Iwobi is in, for example. We will know that today and tomorrow. But overall, we have no injuries from last night. Some players were rested, they are alright. After that, I have to make a decision on Aaron Ramsey on Saturday. He looks OK, but we will know more about it tomorrow.

on Mesut Ozil…
I’ll see him this morning. He had a good session yesterday, that he absorbed well. So we have to see how he responds to it today. But I think he will be alright. You want all your best players available and, of course, he is an important player for us.

It means the only serious injury problem we have is Alexandre Lacazette as he’s still recovering from knee surgery. Obviously there is also Santi Cazorla but I don’t think we’ll see him play again this season.

Wenger is set to recall a number of players who didn’t feature last night with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Laurent Koscielny, Shkodran Mustafi, Nacho Monreal and Granit Xhaka all expected to come back in to the squad along with Ramsey and Ozil.

However, Henrikh Mkhitaryan won’t face City on Sunday as he’s cup tied having already played in the League Cup for Manchester United this season.

One Comment