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Team News: Wenger’s update on Bellerin, Walcott, Monreal & Cazorla

By on October 31, 2016

Hector Bellerin arsenal

Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Hector Bellerin has picked up a knock and is one of four key players to miss Arsenal’s Champions League clash at Ludogorets on Tuesday night.

Bellerin was fully expected to start against the Bulgarian champions but Wenger revealed at his pre-match press conference this evening that the Spaniard hasn’t travelled to Sofia after ‘a little incident in training’.

Thankfully the problem doesn’t sound serious and I’m sure the boss has just taken the opportunity to rest Hector so hopefully he’ll be available to take on Tottenham at the weekend. Jenkinson is set to start against Ludogorets on Tuesday.

Santi Cazorla will miss the game as he’s been left back in London nursing an achilles injury that’s already seen him miss the last three matches while Monreal is also still out with a muscle problem.

Theo Walcott was expected to travel to Bulgaria after taking part in training at London Colney on Monday morning but the attacker has also been left back in London meaning we’re without four key men tomorrow night.

The good news is that Arsene says some of the boys are close to returning so hopefully we’ll have at least Bellerin, Walcott and Cazorla available to face Spurs on Sunday.

I think with Gibbs at left-back we can cope without Nacho but it would be a huge blow if any of the other three were to miss the North London Derby.

Granit Xhaka should feature against Ludogorets as he’s served his domestic ban while I’d expect Oxlade-Chamberlain and Elneny to also play some part tomorrow night with Walcott and Cazorla out.

Here is what Wenger told Arsenal.com:

on team news…
Who did not travel is Monreal, Cazorla and Bellerin, Walcott – both are more or less injuries. Some of them being very close, like Walcott, Bellerin had a little incident in the last minute of training so they are not here. For us it’s a big game because as you said, if we win we can qualify. But if we lose, you can as well be in a difficult situation. So we know the importance of the game is massive.

on whether Carl Jenkinson will play…
He is in the squad. I have not named the team yet, I will decide that tomorrow. He is in the squad. I have plenty of right backs in the squad, three or four.