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Arsenal team news: Fresh blow means Emery faces being without 8 players vs Burnley

By on August 15, 2019

Granit Xhaka has emerged as a fitness doubt for Arsenal meaning Unai Emery faces being without eight players for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Burnley.

The Switzerland international has sustained bruising to his lower back/leg area and is now set to undergo a late fitness test to see if he’ll be available for the visit of Sean Dyche’s side to the Emirates this weekend.

Xhaka could join a lengthy injury list that includes Hector Bellerin as the right-back is still continuing his rehabilitation from a serious knee ligament injury that’s expected to keep him on the sidelines until October.

Kieran Tierney completed a £25m move to Arsenal from Celtic earlier this month but the full-back is still nursing a groin injury that will restrict him from full training until October so we’ll have to wait a little while before we see him in the famous Red & White.

Rob Holding has been stepping up his recovery from a knee ligament injury that he sustained last season and he’s played a couple of times for the U23s recently. The centre-back is in full training but isn’t expected to be considered for selection against Burnley.

Emile Smith Rowe is another absentee for Arsenal as the young midfielder is carrying a groin injury that will keep him out for another couple of weeks while Dinos Mavropanos is still recovering from his own groin complaint.

A team news update on Arsenal.com confirmed:

Granit Xhaka
Bruising to lower back and leg. Being assessed ahead of Saturday.

Rob Holding
Left knee. Continuing with on-field rehabilitation and now participating in full training with the first team.

Emile Smith Rowe
Groin. Aiming to participate in full training in 1-2 weeks.

Hector Bellerin
Left knee. Continuing with on-field rehabilitation. Aiming to participate in full training in October.

Kieran Tierney
Groin. Continues to receive treatment and further assessments. Aiming to participate in full training in October.

Dinos Mavropanos
Groin. Continues to receive treatment and further assessments. Aiming to participate in full training in October.

So Arsenal have plenty of injury problems to deal with which is a real concern considering it’s so early in the season while we are also likely to be without Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac once again this weekend.

The pair returned to full training on Wednesday after missing the Newcastle game due to safety concerns following fresh gang-related incidents near their homes but Emery isn’t expected to throw them straight back into action against Burnley.

If Xhaka is ruled out, it means the boss will be without EIGHT players on Saturday so our squad is already being stretched and it’s only the second game of the new campaign!