Fresh injury woes for Gunners
Arsenal were plunged back into a defensive injury crisis ahead of the showdown with Chelsea as both Kieran Gibbs, with a fractured metatarsal, and William Gallas hobbled out of Tuesday's 2-0 Champions League win over Standard Liege at Emirates Stadium.
Centre-back Gallas went off at the break with a combination of an ankle problem and a lump above his eye following a clash of heads with Andrey Arshavin, which also left the Russian needing staples to close a bloody gash.
Gibbs, meanwhile, limped out during the closing stages following a hefty challenge from Eliaquim Mangala, and Arsenal confirmed he had suffered a fracture to the first metatarsal on his left foot, and would undergo surgery on Wednesday which is set to rule him out for at least two months.
"Gallas has an ankle problem and a swollen eye. I think he will recover from the eye, and from the ankle we hope so (in time for Chelsea)," said manager Arsene Wenger, speaking immediately after the match.
"Gibbs is much more serious.
"We have to X-ray him and I think he has gone to hospital to check because he has a big hole in his leg.
"He doesn't look too good, and that is unfortunate."
