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Wenger offers injury update after Arsenal star was stretchered off in tears vs West Ham

By mac14 on April 22, 2018

Arsene Wenger has confirmed Mohamed Elneny will miss Arsenal’s Europa League clash with Atletico Madrid after picking up an ankle injury against West Ham this afternoon.

Elneny has played his way in to Wenger’s starting eleven after displaying some excellent form in recent weeks and once again started alongside Granit Xhaka in midfield at the Emirates today.

However, the Egyptian international required lengthy treatment from the medical staff after rolling his ankle while challenging for the ball with Mark Noble shortly before the break.

Elneny was unable to continue and looked distraught as he was stretchered from the field to be replaced by Ainsley Maitland-Niles in the 45th minute.

Judging by his reaction, fans speculated on Twitter that Elneny’s season was over and he was also being tipped to miss this summers World Cup finals in Russia.

A Sky Sports reporters then offered a positive update after claiming at half-time that Arsenal’s medical team told him they didn’t think it was a serious injury at all.

However, speaking after the 4-1 victory over the Hammers, Wenger revealed that Elneny is in serious pain and while he refused to put a timescale on his recovery until X-ray results came back, the midfielder was immediately ruled out of Thursday’s clash with Atletico.

Wenger told Arsenal.com:

“It’s an ankle problem that is very painful,”

“Overall I believe that we have to wait until the X-ray to know a little more about it. But Thursday will be too soon for him.”

We welcome Atletico to the Emirates on Thursday night for the first leg of our crucial Europa League semi-final so Elneny’s absence will be a huge blow.

I now think we’ll see Granit Xhaka playing in the holding role with Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere joining him in midfield – as long as the latter overcomes an ankle injury that’s kept him out of the last two matches.