Walcott may miss out as Gunners bid to win group

Arsenal could again be without forward Theo Walcott through illness for tonight’s Europa League tie in Cologne.

Walcott missed the Premier League win over Tottenham on Saturday and did not train outside at London Colney yesterday as the rest of the squad prepared for the trip to Germany.

Striker Olivier Giroud should be involved following his thigh injury along with goalkeeper David Ospina, who has recovered from a groin problem, and forward Danny Welbeck. The Gunners have already qualified out of Group H for the knockout stage and need just a point to seal top spot.

Meanwhile, Phil Jagielka and Mason Holgate will join Morgan Schneiderlin and Oumar Niasse in missing Everton’s clash with Atalanta at Goodison Park this evening.

Jagielka, who played the full duration at Crystal Palace on Saturday, has been given some time off by caretaker manager David Unsworth and is set to return to training later in the week, while Holgate is continuing to recover from a groin injury.

Schneiderlin is nursing a toe problem as well as being suspended for this game following his red card in the 3-0 defeat at Lyon on 2 November, when it was confirmed that Everton would not be able to qualify for the next round. Niasse is ineligible as he was not included in the Toffees’ squad for the group stage.