Arsenal ace Alexis Sanchez likely to be back for festive period
Manager Arsene Wenger yesterday said he did not know the exact prognosis for the pair, but it is understood playmaker Cazorla’s ailment is more long-term than forward Sanchez’s hamstring problem.
Wenger is convinced Arsenal are capable of coping in the absence of two of their most influential players.
“It’s always a disappointment to lose the players at an important moment of the season,” Wenger said.
“But on the other hand, it’s a great challenge to take for the team and a great opportunity to show we are ready for a fight and we can deal with it.
“We prepared ourselves to go through periods like that, and I’m convinced the players are ready.”
Despite his comments, Wenger could come under pressure from supporters to recruit during the January transfer market with his squad rocked by injuries.
Chile forward Sanchez suffered his hamstring injury in the 1-1 draw at Carrow Road, while Spain midfielder Cazorla finished the game “playing on one leg” after suffering a blow to his knee.
Wenger said “we don’t know how long they will be out for” when discussing the injuries yesterday, but is set to provide an update today ahead of tomorrow’s Premier League clash with Sunderland.
The Gunners are fourth, two points behind leaders Manchester City, entering this weekend’s fixtures, while their hopes on making the Champions League last 16 rest on beating Olympiacos by two clear goals in Greece next week. Following the draw at Norwich, Wenger faced criticism for selecting Sanchez.
“I would have rested him but he felt perfectly all right before the game and he declared that he had no problem,” Wenger said.
Laurent Koscielny (hip) had to be substituted at the weekend, but could feature against the Black Cats.
The France defender and Theo Walcott will face late fitness tests.
England forward Walcott suffered a calf injury at Sheffield Wednesday in October.
Left-back Kieran Gibbs is back in contention after missing the Norwich trip with a calf injury.
Wenger added: “We will make a decision on Saturday on Koscielny and Walcott, they could both make the squad. Gibbs is available again for the weekend.”
Mikel Arteta suffered a calf injury against West Brom last month and the length of his absence is still to be determined.
Midfielders Jack Wilshere (broken leg), Francis Coquelin (knee), Tomas Rosicky (knee) and forward Danny Welbeck (knee) are all out.
Arsenal’s only win in five games in November came against Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League.
“We have gone through a little bit of a bad spell in recent games, but we are two points off the top (in the league),” Wenger added.
“The great opportunity for us is that, despite that bad spell, we are very close.
“That’s why it’s important that we keep our confidence high and our determination high, and start winning again.
“We want the crowd to be behind the team and help us to do it.”
Meanwhile, Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce has insisted his feud with Wenger has been consigned to history — and is not even sure it worked anyway.
The then Bolton manager famously got under the Frenchman’s skin as he guided his side to a series of unlikely positive results against the Gunners, and admitted in his recently published autobiography that he enjoyed winding up a man he described as having “an air of arrogance”.
However, Allardyce, now 61, has revealed the pair now have an “amicable” relationship as they prepare to meet at the Emirates Stadium.
He said with a smile: “I have had some good fun with him. Those early days were years and years ago and it’s been much more amicable, our meetings, not just on match days, but also off the field when we have bumped into each other.
“But I have always had a huge amount of respect for Arsene and his quality as a manager. Winding-up became a procedure that we all use if and when we feel it necessary.
“I have always thought he is a fantastic manager and he’s done a fantastic job. I might have wound him up a time or two, but never disrespected him.
“That’s a long time ago. It seems to be a part of the world of football sometimes and whether it makes a difference, I don’t know. People seem to think it did, so when the opportunity arose, if you felt it was the right thing to do, you did it.”
Allardyce led Bolton into battle with Arsenal on 16 occasions in all competitions, and emerged with a hugely creditable four victories and six draws.
However, he has never beaten them at north London with any of his clubs and will hope to address that record with Sunderland.
Allardyce, who will be without injured duo Sebastian Larsson and Jermain Defoe, said: “I’ve never won at Arsenal with any of my teams — drawn a few, but never won.
“The club has not won there since the ‘80s when our kit man was in the squad and Paul Bracewell played, my assistant manager, so it shows you how long it’s been.”
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