Wegner holds breath for Alex
ARSENE Wenger hopes to have Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain back in a few weeks rather than six or seven but the Arsenal manager remains confident the England winger will be fit in time for Euro 2016.
The 22-year-old suffered a knee injury after a strong challenge by Javier Mascherano during Arsenal ’ s Champions League defeat by holders Barcelona at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday and eventually went off early in the second half.
“He is out for a few weeks. How long exactly? I don ’ t know but a few weeks. He is (devastated). Let ’ s hope that we get good news that it ’ s only two or three weeks, not six or seven.”
But Wenger was upbeat when asked if Oxlade-Chamberlain was in danger of missing Euro 2016 in France, which starts on June 10 “I don ’ t think so,” Wenger said. “It ’ s not a recurrence of a previous injury. Not at all. It ’ s a new injury. “We have to see how big the damage is in his knee. Hopefully we will have good news later,” the Frenchman added.
“I don ’ t think it was a malicious tackle. It was a fully committed tackle but it didn ’ t look malicious.”
Tuesday ’ s 2-0 defeat by Barcelona, a result that all but scuppered Arsenal ’ s hopes of European glory this season, came hot on the heels of last weekend ’ s goalless draw with second-tier Hull in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
However, Arsenal have a chance to return to winning ways when they face Manchester United in the Premier League at Old Trafford today.
Today ’ s Matches: Manchester United vs Arsenal (4.05pm); Tottenham vs Swansea (4.05pm)