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Wenger's Vermaelen & Wilshere boost

Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen is fit and ready to face Chelsea © Getty Images

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Thomas Vermaelen is fit for Arsenal's clash with Chelsea this Saturday and Jack Wilshere will feature for the reserves on Monday, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger confirmed on Thursday.

Speaking ahead of the visit of Chelsea the Arsenal manager said the Belgian defender, who missed the 1-1 draw at Manchester City through illness, was available for selection.

Encouragingly the Frenchman also explained that Wilshere, who returned to full training with the first team last week for the first time in over a year, will play for the Under-21 side against West Brom on Monday.

"Jack will play on Monday night for the [Under-21s], he will play an hour," said Wenger. "We have to be patient.

"I think that [the England games] will be too early for him," added Wenger, in reference to England's World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Poland on October 12th and 16th respectively.

In other injury news Wenger said that goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was "two or three weeks away" from making a return, and that he expected Tomas Rosicky to be back in a fortnight.

Defender Bacary Sagna has returned to full training but will not be fit in time to face Chelsea.

Further discussing his team options for the weekend, Wenger also said that Andrei Arshavin had played his way into contention for a starting spot.

"At the moment the competition is very high [for a first-team place]," he said. "But he will get his chance, and he showed here that he deserves it.

"I have selection solutions, not selection problems. You want two players in every position."

Arsenal have been touted as potential title contenders in some quarters, a view that was given added weight by their result at Eastlands last weekend, and Wenger knows that Saturday's game will be an early test of his side's credentials.

"We will know more about us on Saturday afternoon, but much more about us after 10 or 15 games," he commented.

"If we do well at home against the strong teams it will have a big impact on our chances."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.