Laurent Koscielny and Theo Walcott in their Christmas Jumpers to support Save the Children (Getty)

Arsenal are already missing key personnel for their crunch meeting with Manchester United on Saturday and Theo Walcott could make it even worse.

Frank Lampard reacts to Kai Havertz hat-trick after Chelsea thrash Barnsley

Hector Bellerin, Lucas Perez, Santi Cazorla and potentially Alexis Sanchez will all miss the match at Old Trafford through injury.

Now it’s emerged that Walcott could miss it too – but for a very different reason. The 27-year-old’s wife Melanie Slade is due to give birth to their second child at any moment.

Melanie Slade with Walcott in 2011 (Getty)

Should she go into labour around the match, Walcott would be given special dispensation to join his childhood sweetheart.


While it would be baby joy for Walcott – it’d be a nightmare for Arsenal.



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