Wenger weighs up Lauren cover

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is weighing up three options to cover for the impending four-game suspension of right-back Lauren.

Barring a last-minute appeal, Wenger is set to be without his first-choice right-back for four games starting from next weekend’s Barclaycard Premiership fixture at Birmingham amid the fall-out from the melee at Old Trafford.

He could move Kolo Toure, who has emerged as his first-choice central defensive partner for Sol Campbell, to full-back on a temporary basis, with Pascal Cygan coming into the centre.

Otherwise, he could retain Toure alongside Campbell, with emerging full-back Justin Hoyte, who gave an encouraging display against Rotherham in the Carling Cup third round, coming into the side.

Or, as a last resort, he could recall Moritz Volz from his loan spell at Fulham.

Wenger chose the first option when Lauren was substituted against Tottenham in last weekend’s north London derby due to a mixture of poor form and injury.

He revealed: “I’m considering three options. The first is putting Kolo out there and the second is picking Justin Hoyte, while the third one would be to bring Moritz back.

“I don’t want to take his experience there away if someone here can do the job, although it’s difficult to put Kolo out there as he looks to be so strong in the centre.”