• Premier League

Oxlade-Chamberlain faces long absence

ESPN staff
August 19, 2013
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain injured his knee in Arsenal's defeat to Aston Villa © Getty Images
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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines at Arsenal as Arsene Wenger confirmed he has a "bad" injury.

Oxlade-Chamberlain, 20, could face six months on the sidelines, according to reports, after he damaged his knee during Saturday's 3-1 defeat at home to Aston Villa.

He left the Emirates Stadium on crutches and Wenger could only confirm that he would not be available for the Champions League play-off first leg at Fenerbahce on Wednesday.

"He is definitely out," Wenger said. "A knee problem. We don't know how deep the problem is, but it's a bad injury."

Oxlade-Chamberlain was set to undergo a second scan on Monday to confirm the diagnosis.

Arsenal face an injury crisis ahead of the trip to Istanbul, with Wenger indicating after the Villa defeat that Kieran Gibbs, Bacary Sagna, Tomas Rosicky, Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey could all miss out.

"Gibbs has a deep cut," he said. "Sagna and Rosicky have problems. Wilshere - I don't know how he will respond after the full 90 minutes. Ramsey has a problem after a kick at his ankle."

Thomas Vermaelen, Mikel Arteta and Nacho Monreal have already been ruled out of the match.

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