Francis Coquelin ruled out for 2 months with damaged knee ligaments

Arsenal midfielder, Francis Coquelin, has been ruled out for the remainder of the year, and the beginning of next year after he badly damaging knee ligaments in the clubs surprising 2-1 loss against West Brom on Saturday.

Manager Arsene Wenger, confirmed the news of the loss during his pre-Dinamo Zagreb press conference. Wenger announced that the 24-year-old Frenchman suffered knee ligament damage in Saturday’s 2-1 Premier League defeat at West Bromwich Albion.

Francis Coquelin will now miss the busy festive period but Wenger is hoping a scan later on Monday does not rule out the former France under-21 international for a longer spell.

When questioned about the severity of Coquelin injury, Wenger said; “I am always a bit cautious,

“It is a least two months but I’m cautious as we had so many bad surprises on scans that I do not want to speculate more than that. Certainly for the next two months we play without Coquelin,”

Many would have thought that the January transfer window, will present the manager a big opportunity to replace the Teams best defensive midfielder this season, but Wenger on the other hand, has different things on the plate, as he suggested he might not have to buy, in order to replace Coquelin.

“It is of course a disappointment to lose him in the longer term but we have in the squad the players who can compensate.

"We have lost a player of quality for a while but we know that can happen.

“I will give myself time, we have players who play in this position like Mathieu Flamini and players who can play there like Calum Chambers.

“Sometimes this is a good opportunity for other players to turn up and do the job. I will do what is needed in January, knowing as well it is not an ideal transfer market.”

Arsenal face Dinamo Zagreb, in a must win champions league encounter which could see them relegated to the Europa league.