It is looking as though Aaron Ramsey will miss the north London derby on Sunday despite pencilling in the clash against Spurs as the day he had hoped to have recovered from his thigh injury.
Ramsey was without question one of Arsenal’s best players over the first half of the season, but has not played since getting injured on Boxing Day during the match with West Ham United at Upton Park, and despite having returned to training last week it is thought that he will not be fully fit to travel to White Hart Lane on Sunday.
Also missing for the match will be Mesut Özil who had to be substituted at half time with a stretched hamstring against Bayern Munich with the full extent of the injury to be revealed Thursday, but at the moment the club is saying he will most likely be out until the FA Cup semi-final against Wigan on April 12th at Wembley.
Kieran Gibbs is also doubtful for Arsenal after suffering an ankle injury against Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League clash, but Nacho Monreal will be available to start at left-back after having recovered from a foot problem.
January signing Kim Kallstrom is in contention to get his first game in an Arsenal shirt after being out with a back injury since joining the Gunners from Spartak Moscow.
Meanwhile speaking about Arsenal becoming the favourites to win the FA Cup Mikel Arteta thinks that it would be massive for the club after having not won a major trophy in nine years.
“I think it would be a turning point for the club,” Arteta said. “Because for such a long time, we don’t win anything. It gives you a lift, the belief that you can start to go in the right direction and hopefully we can do it. We know we are favourites and we know that puts more pressure on us but we are happy with the situation in the Cup.
“We have a great chance. There is still a month to go [to the semi-final] and we have some really tough games coming up. That’s why it is important to get some momentum for that moment and get there with the belief and in good form. We want to fight for the league, for sure, and we have a great chance in the FA Cup as well. We need to enjoy the moment and make the most of it because I think we can do something good.”
