Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed a key injury blow ahead of Thursday night’s Premier League clash versus Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners will be aiming for a better showing against the Citizens following their 3-0 loss to the same opposition in the League Cup final, but they will have to do without the advances of Nacho Monreal.
The left-back appeared to be struggling with his back which forced the Gunners into a first-half substitution last weekend, and Wenger has now confirmed that the Spaniard is sidelined for the midweek game.
Meanwhile, there are potentially further fears over the back injury as it would see him miss the Brighton trip next weekend as well as an important Europa League round of 16 tie at AC Milan.
Wenger said: “He is out for the two games on Thursday and Sunday, certainly out. He might be out for two more, Milan and maybe even one more. He had an inflamed back, a disc problem. The rest, everybody is fit.”
Monreal has surprisingly flourished in front of goal during the second half of the season, but the Spaniard also offers experience at the back, which the Gunners don’t have at present.
Sead Kolasinac has looked impressive going forward, but his defensive frailties could see Ainsley Maitland-Niles getting the nod against Pep Guardiola’s side.
Arsenal are currently 10 points behind the top-four, and tonight’s game is a potentially must-win, if they are to have any chance of making the Champions League next term, via their league phase.
Otherwise, they may have to win the Europa League altogether, though there is no assurance of winning the competition, considering they are plenty of strong contenders including Atletico Madrid and Milan.
The Rossoneri have remained unbeaten since the turn of the year, and Arsenal won’t have an easy route to the quarter-final of the competition this month.
