Arsenal manager Unai Emery has confirmed that Hector Bellerin has suffered an injury which is due to keep him out of action for the next few weeks at the least.
The Spain international has shown signs of returning to form under Emery this campaign but his progress was stunted at St Mary’s where he was subbed off at half-time after feeling pain on his lower left leg.
Speaking after the game, Emery acknowledged that Bellerin has suffered more than a knock and this is likely to keep him out of action until the turn of the year, he told Sky Sports:
“Bellerin has a small injury – he is going to be some weeks off, I think.”
In the absence of Bellerin, Stephan Lichtsteiner initially took up the right-back duties after the change in formation in the second half at St Mary’s but he was later on replaced by Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
Injuries have hampered the Gunners over the past month with Rob Holding and Danny Welbeck ruled out for the remainder of the campaign and this has encouraged speculation of the club looking into reinforcements in the New Year.
Still, the club need to focus with the options in hand with the festive round of fixtures coming up and Emery has received a welcoming boost ahead of the League Cup quarter-final against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night.
Both Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis Papastathopoulos are set to return to action after serving a one-match domestic suspension during the Saints defeat.
They are expected to be joined by Sead Kolasinac, who was left out over the weekend after he felt a ‘tightness’ in his thigh.
