Arsene Wenger has ruled Jack Wilshere out of Sunday’s meeting with Bournemouth, after the Englishman picked up an ankle sprain, but the Arsenal manager hopes for his speedy return.
Wilshere’s long run of completing 90 minutes came to an end during the second half against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-final. He injured his ankle by blocking a cross, and had to come off with 33 minutes still to play.
Wilshere is never too far away from an injured ankle, but Wenger is hopeful that this time he won’t be out for long. “He has an ankle sprain and the first look at it was not too bad, but of course for Sunday I think he will be short,” the Arsenal manager said.
“I do not know how long he will be out. It is a shame to lose him when he is such good form and it was by blocking the shot that turned his ankle and it’s his good ankle so I am quite positive.”
He also clarified that it was a ligament injury, not a bone one, adding: “No, it’s a ligament.” The midfielder started the game as captain for the first time in his career. It was his seventh consecutive start in the Arsenal team, and he was having a good game until the injury.
The ankle injury will now mean Wilshere won’t be returning to the club he joined on loan last season. And with no timeframe on his return, Arsenal will be drastically short on creativity against Bournemouth on the weekend.
Hopefully, we get one or two players back in time for the semi-final second leg next week. Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey are still yet to recover for the Gunners.