Coquelin ready for Arsenal return

Arsene Wenger has confirmed Francis Coquelin is ready to make his comeback for Arsenal after a two-month spell on the sidelines due to a knee injury.

The French midfielder sustained the knock in Arsenal’s defeat at the hands of West Brom on November 21 and has since been out of action.

He recently returned to the training ground, though, and could be involved when Arsenal host Burnley in the FA Cup on Saturday.

“Francis is available to play now because he has passed two weeks of full training,” Wenger told the club’s official website.

“[Per] Mertesacker is out because of the red card, and everybody else is available, apart from Jack Wilshere, Santi Cazorla and Danny Welbeck. Tomas [Rosicky] is also available for selection.

“After that it is just a question of selection and decision-making, that is the key.”

Wilshere and Welbeck still need a few weeks before returning to the match squad, but the latter is expected to return shortly.

“Jack and Santi are progressing well but they are at least a few weeks away. But these two apart, it is just about competitiveness and match fitness,” Wenger added. 

“Danny is not completely ready but he is not far. He needs a game or two because he’s been out since last April. The Stoke [under-21] game is too soon because he only had one session with the team, and that is too short.”