Holding backs his luckless Gunners pal Danny to make rapid recovery

DANNY WELBECK has been tipped to “come back strong” after his sickening injury against Sporting Lisbon.

The Arsenal forward was taken to hospital with a suspected broken ankle when he landed badly during the Europa League clash.

The Gunners yesterday described the injury as “significant” and said they would provide a further update in the next 72 hours.

Welbeck has been dogged by injury since moving to the Emirates from Manchester United four years ago, with three knee problems between May 2015 and January 2017, the biggest and forcing him to miss a total of 70 games.

Team-mate Rob Holding said: “He’s been so unlucky with injuries over the past few years but he’s a good character and has a good set of lads around him so we’ll lift him up and get him back as soon as we can. He can come back strong.”

The injury has cast doubt over Welbeck’s long-term future too. The 27-year-old’s season could be over and he has not reached an agreement on extending a contract which runs out in the summer.

His latest setback will not have improved his prospects of doing so. What is certain is Welbeck will miss tomorrow’s game with Wolves and has had to withdraw from Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the matches against USA and Croatia. Holding (left) admitted he was disappointed not to make the cut for Southgate after becoming an Arsenal mainstay in recent weeks, starting 10 of their last 12 games. Instead, Southgate went for John Stones, Joe Gomez, Michael Keane and Lewis Dunk as his centre-back options. But Holding, 23, has watched Ben Chilwell progress to the senior squad and hopes to follow suit.

He said: “You see Ben getting in and he’s a guy I first roomed with in the England Under-21s, so I’m really happy with how he’s doing.

“We’ve seen with Harry Maguire, getting his chance over the past year how well he has done. So, there will be chances.

“I was disappointed to miss out but I’m just concentrating on getting a run in the team.”