Arsenal rocked by double injury blow ahead of Spurs derby

Thursday, February 28, 2013
11:56 AM

Arsenal will be without defender Bacary Sagna for Sunday’s north London derby against Tottenham, while Abou Diaby is doubtful, manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed.

Sagna missed Saturday’s 2-1 win against Aston Villa altogether, while injury-plagued midfielder Diaby was substituted with a calf problem in the second half.

Carl Jenkinson filled in for Sagna against Villa and is likely to be called on again as Arsenal attempt to nullify the considerable threat of the in-form Gareth Bale.

Wenger told Arsenal’s official website: “[Sagna] is not ready for Sunday. It is too short for him”

On Diaby, he said: “Abou is an uncertainty. He has a calf problem, a minor one. It is question of days.

“He will have tests and then we will see if we can use him on Sunday or not. It is a 50:50. Actually maybe a bit more for him playing.”

Left-back Kieran Gibbs remains sidelined, meanwhile. Wenger said: “Kieran is not back. That was as we expected.”