Arsenal look to welcome two injured players back for their must-win game against Middlesbrough on Monday night.
Arsenal currently have five players still sidelined who could miss out on the trip up north. However, some are more likely to travel than others.
1. Santi Cazorla (ankle)
As has been once against confirmed this week, Santi Cazorla is out for the rest of the season following his ankle surgeries.
2. Lucas Perez (thigh)
After suffering a thigh injury in training ahead of the West Brom game, Lucas Perez is still out and still hasn’t been given a return date.
3. David Ospina (back)
The goalkeeper picked up a lower back injury during Arsenal’s 2-2 draw against Manchester City at the Emirates and missed the West Ham and Crystal Palace games as a result.
Although it doesn’t look likely, Ospina has a small chance of returning against Boro. However, while the injury obviously isn’t too serious, it’s unlikely considering the club have recalled Matt Macey from his loan spell at Luton to sit on the bench as back-up to Emi Martinez.
4. Petr Cech (calf)
Petr Cech was subbed off during Arsenal’s 3-1 loss away to West Brom before the interlul. Arsene Wenger previously mentioned that the goalkeeper could return for Palace, which obviously he didn’t.
However, according to the Times [via the Daily Star] the 34-year-old is set to return against Middlesbrough.
5. Laurent Koscielny (Achilles)
It didn’t look good for Laurent Koscielny when he was taken off against Manchester City. However, Wenger confirmed ahead of the Crystal Palace game that it was a tendon problem, not ligament, and therefore he should be out for a shorter amount of time than expected.
Will he return for the Boro game?
According to the same report that says Cech will return, he will.
If this is true, this will hand Arsenal a massive boost considering how horrific their defence is without him.