Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Santi Cazorla will not play again until after the next set of international matches after he picked up an ankle injury while away with Spain.
The Gunners midfielder played no part in the 3-1 win at Sunderland due to the injury, and Wenger confirmed the significance of the injury after the game.
Santi joins the long injury list at the Emirates, with fellow midfielders Abou Diaby, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Mikel Arteta all out.
“Cazorla has an ankle problem," Wenger said after the 3-1 win over Sunderland. "He will be out for a few weeks as well.
He added: "I don't think he will play before the next international break."
The injury to Cazorla opens the door for new boy Mesut Ozil to establish his place in the side after his £42million move from Real Madrid, however the little Spaniard is an integral figure in the side and will no doubt be greatly missed.
Giroud gives us a scare…
Wenger also expressed his concerns after in-form Frenchman Oliver Giroud limped off to give Chuba Akpom his Premier League debut after he seemingly kicked the ground while shooting at the Stadium of Light.
Wenger spoke after the game:
"That's my worry [that Giroud is injured], today, after the game," he said. "We are very thin at the moment.
"It's a knee problem. He is the player at the moment who we cannot lose."
Giroud added his 5th Premiership goal of the season after just 11 minutes against the Black Cats, and to the relief of revealed that his knee was fine via his Twitter account some time after the game:
@_OliverGiroud_ “My knee is ok don’t worry! Thanks for your support!”
This came as good news for Arsene Wenger as well as the fans, with Lukas Podolski and Yaya Sanogo both out injured leaving 17-year-old Chuba Akpom as the club’s only out-and-out striker other than Nicholas Bendtner.
Giroud could play in Marseille on Wednesday as could Per Mertesacker, who missed the win up North due to an illness. Thomas Vermaelen’s comeback in the 80th minute in the same game is also a massive bonus as the paper-thin Arsenal squad looks to regroup.
