Arsenal are likely to be without eight first-team players for Saturday’s FA Cup third round tie against Blackpool on the road. The Gunners returned to winning ways on New Year’s Day after bagging a triumph over Fulham in the Premier League and the focus has now shifted towards the Cup, where Emery remains determined to avoid a shock defeat.
Amidst this, the Spaniard has confirmed that there is not any positive news on the injury front with as many as eight players expected to be sidelined for the crunch Cup tie at Bloomfield Road on Saturday evening.
According to The Independent, Emery is unlikely to take a risk with his senior players on the cusp of injury comebacks and this should witness Mesut Ozil (knee), Hector Bellerin (calf), Konstantinos Mavropanos (groin), Shkodran Mustafi and Nacho Monreal (both hamstring) omitted from the matchday squad.
Likewise, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Danny Welbeck (both ankle) and Rob Holding (knee) are expected to miss the game being long-term absentees though the former of the three should make a possible return next month.
Despite the string of injuries, Emery is unlikely to tinker much with the existing squad players, given the Spaniard is wary of the Cup set after previously witnessing a ‘dark day’ with Sevilla when they were knocked out by a division three side.
Based on this, the majority of the players from the Cottagers triumph should feature, although the game offers opportunities for the likes of Aaron Ramsey, who has been regularly featuring off the bench in the Premier League this term.
