• Premier League

Arsenal missing key names for Baggies clash

ESPN staff
December 6, 2012

If Arsenal are to return to winning ways this weekend, they will have to do it without a number of key players after Arsene Wenger revealed Theo Walcott and Lukas Podolski would miss the Gunners' home clash against West Brom.

While Arsenal are enduring their worst start to a Premier League campaign since Wenger joined the club in 1996, West Brom have exceeded expectations this season and are currently sat fifth in the Premier League table.

Wenger left a number of his senior players behind for Tuesday's Champions League trip to Olympiakos in the hope that a rest would boost a squad that looked jaded in their defeat to Swansea last weekend.

However, he has confirmed that Walcott, Podolski, Bacary Sagna and Laurent Koscielny are all unavailable to face the Baggies at Emirates Stadium.

"Lukas Podolski and Theo Walcott are out," Wenger said. "Bacary Sagna and Laurent Koscielny are not back. From Tuesday night in Greece there are no new injuries so we have a selection from the combined squad of Tuesday and Saturday."

Walcott has recovered from a shoulder injury but has since picked up a calf problem, while Podolski has a hamstring strain. Sagna has not fully recovered from a foot injury, while Koscielny has a thigh problem. Andre Santos and Abou Diaby remain sidelined.

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