Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is facing a crisis going into the opening game of the new Premier League season against Liverpool.
Star playmaker Mesut Ozil is expected to miss the weekend clash after starting pre-season training this week. The Germany international, along with Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny were given extended breaks after competing at Euro 2016.
Matters have been made worse following a long-term injury to the experinced Per Mertesacker and the Brazilian defender Gabriel who was was stretchered off during a pre-season game.
Gabriel was stretcherd off with a leg injury in the closing moments of Arsenal’s friendly win over Manchester City on Sunday.
“He’s in pain,” Arsene Wegner was quoted as saying by the Mirror.
“Let’s hope that the pain is not a sign of bad news.”
However, both Jack Wilshere and Petr Cech have been cleared as fit to start this weekends encounter. Calum Chambers and new signing Rob Holding are currently Arsenal’s only fit senior centre-backs according to the Mirror.
