Eyebrows were raised when Theo Walcott was left out of the squad to travel to the Parc des Princes on Tuesday evening with the forward having started Arsenal’s first four Premier League fixtures.
Initial media reports indicated that he had not made the trip across the Channel since he was carrying a mild knee injury.
Updated reports on Wednesday, however, assert that the same knee injury is likely to keep him out of the match against Hull City in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday.
In his absence, Alex Iwobi deputized wonderfully against Paris Saint-Germain but naysayers will once again point to the brittle constitution of many in the Arsenal squad.
Walcott has been in good form for Arsenal since the season kicked off and the 27-year-old winger was also called up to the England national team for the first World Cup qualifier against Slovakia recently.
Arsene Wenger will hope to have him back as soon as possible with the fixtures coming thick and fast this month.
The Gunners face Hull City at the weekend, before entertaining Nottingham Forest, Chelsea and Basel.
With fatigue likely to set in with the flurry of games, it is crucial for the club to retain a physically robust squad over the month and Walcott is central to Wenger’s plans if Arsenal are to challenge on all fronts.
With the weekend game in focus, Hull City are surely looking to upset the odds with a better than expected start to their Premier League campaign.
The Tigers are currently eighth in the table, level on points with Arsenal, after victories against Swansea City and champions Leicester City in their first two fixtures.
Both sides have seven points from their first four games, but Arsenal sit above Hull City courtesy of more goals scored.
Arsenal upcoming fixtures:
Hull City vs Arsenal – 17th September
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal – 20th September
Arsenal vs Chelsea – 24th September
Arsenal vs FC Basel – 28th September
