Coquelin Out For Three Months With Knee Injury

Francis Coquelin. | image source: AFP

Arsenal will be without midfielder Francis Coquelin for three months after the Frenchman suffered a knee ligament injury during the Gunners' 2-1 defeat to West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns on Saturday.

The 24-year-old joins Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mikel Arteta, Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck on the sidelines.

The injuries have left Arsenal bare in midfield but club manager Arsene Wenger believes that players drafted to fill in the positions will do a good job.

"We have players that play in Coquelin's position like Mathieu Flamini and others that can play in his position like Calum Chambers. Sometimes it is an opportunity for others to show they can do the job," Wenger said.

Arsenal play Dinamo Zagreb at home in a Champions League tie on Tuesday that they must win to maintain their hopes in the competition, before an away game in the Premier League at Norwich City on Sunday.

Coquelin will also miss vital league matches against Manchester City on 21 December and away at Liverpool on 13 January.

- BBC