Arsene Wenger has spoken to the press ahead of Saturday’s crunch clash with Liverpool and given an update on the fitness of his squad.

It’s a mixed bag to be honest.

While Mikel Arteta returns to the starting line-up following his red card at Crystal Palace, Serge Gnabry remains out with an ankle problem while Mathieu Flamini, as expected, is sidelined by the groin problem which forced him off after seven minutes at Selhurst Park.

On the plus side, the boss thinks the Frenchman has a chance of being back for the Manchester United game next weekend, although we’ll have to do without his own brand of mental midfield harrying for a second time against Dortmund.

“Basically we have just Arteta back,” said the boss. “Gnabry will not be available. Flamini is a short term injury. Maybe he will be back for the Manchester United game.”

Despite defeat on Tuesday night to Chelsea in the Capital One Cup, the boss underlined that he and his squad are still upbeat about the season ahead: “The mood is very positive at the moment, our priorities are the league and the Champions League.”

Update

Apparently the boss has also said that Theo Walcott could be back for the United clash as well. Presumably after a good six weeks out we’re talking about him being an option from the bench, but good to have him back in contention all the same.