Cygan ruled out for Gunners

Defender Pascal Cygan has added to Arsenal’s injury problems after being ruled out of tomorrow’s Carling Cup quarter-final clash at Manchester United.

Cygan was expected to be one of just a few experienced figures in the second-string Arsenal side, but he has joined the likes of Gilberto Silva and Edu on the sidelines with a back problem.

Full-back Gael Clichy returns after an ankle injury, while there is a surprise inclusion for Ryan Smith, who injured his knee ligaments against Everton in the previous round, and Frankie Simek is back after a loan spell at QPR.

But Robin van Persie and Jermaine Pennant are perhaps the only two well-known names in what will be a very inexperienced line-up at Old Trafford.

Squad: Almunia, Wright, van Persie, Flamini, Senderos, Pennant, Clichy, Hoyte, Cregg, Djourou, Larsson, Lupoli, Owusu-Abeyie, Simek, Karbassiyoon, Smith.