• Premier League

Kallstrom ruled out for Arsenal with back injury

ESPN staff
February 1, 2014
Kallstrom signed with Arsenal on loan from Spartak Moscow on Friday © PA Photos
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New Arsenal signing Kim Kallstrom will not make his debut against Crystal Palace on Sunday due to a back injury.

Initial reports from Kallstrom's native Sweden suggested the injury was sustained in training and was serious enough that he may miss as much as three months of action. However, Arsenal have since moved to deny this, though it is still believed that he will not feature at Selhurst Park on Sunday and could face an extended spell on the sidelines.

Kallstrom was Arsene Wenger's only signing in the January transfer window and was intended to provide midfield cover while Aaron Ramsey recovers from a thigh injury, Jack Wilshere nurses an ankle injury and Mathieu Flamini serves a four-game suspension.

That plan already appears to have been snagged at the first hurdle and leaves Wenger short of options for the match against Palace on Sunday, with his side desperate to get back to winning ways following a 2-2 draw with Southampton on Tuesday that saw them slip from first place in the Premier League table.

Arsenal have a host of big matches ahead, beginning with Palace before league and FA Cup meetings with Liverpool, a Champions League last 16 encounter with Bayern Munich and further league matches against Manchester United and Sunderland.

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