Arshavin and Van Persie could return for Arsenal
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Your support makes all the difference.Arsenal could have both Robin van Persie and Russian playmaker Andrey Arshavin available as Arsene Wenger's men look to get their Barclays Premier League campaign back on course against Wigan tomorrow.
Arsenal could have both Robin van Persie and Russian playmaker Andrey Arshavin available as Arsene Wenger's men look to get their Barclays Premier League campaign back on course against Wigan tomorrow.
The duo sat out the Champions League opener away to Standard Liege, where the Gunners fought back from 2-0 down to record a morale-boosting win courtesy of a late goal from man of the moment Eduardo.
However, van Persie looks to have shaken off a knee problem, while Arshavin has a "10% chance" of returning to the team after aggravating a groin problem while away on international duty.
Goalkeeper Manuel Almunia, though, continues to be troubled by a chest infection, so rookie Vito Mannone looks set for only a second Premier League appearance having been beaten twice inside the opening five minutes on Wednesday night.
One player hoping to force his way back into Wenger's plans is defender Philippe Senderos.
The Swiss centre-back spent last season on loan at AC Milan and looked to be heading to Everton after they sold Joleon Lescott to Manchester City.
However, a move to Goodison Park never materialised, and with Johan Djourou sidelined because of a serious knee problem, Senderos could soon be back in the Arsenal first-team picture.
"For a while the club and myself decided that maybe it was the best to separate, but then in the end the best thing was for me to stay," the 24-year-old said.
"Playing for Milan was a great experience for me, I have learned a lot and hopefully I can show it when I am on the pitch.
"But I am delighted to be back at Arsenal, it was always my goal to stay at the club and hopefully I can give my best for the team.
"I want to get back into the team and play as many games as possible."
Senderos added on Arsenal TV Online: "I think we have started the season pretty well with a very good win and then the last two games we have lost, but hopefully we can get back into winning again.
"I hope this team comes back and I am sure we have got the quality to do it."
Gunners boss Wenger feels the victory over Liege will have "strengthened the belief" within the Arsenal camp following what has been a difficult few weeks, in the wake of successive domestic defeats and Eduardo's European ban for diving which was overturned on appeal.
There is little respite for the Gunners, though, tomorrow's Premier League match is swiftly followed by another home game against West Brom in the Carling Cup, when 18-year-old forward Sanchez Watt, on the bench in Liege, looks set to feature in a youthful Arsenal XI.
Captain Cesc Fabregas said: "When we play every three days, it is always like a final for Arsenal who want to be at the top.
"It is just one more game and the season has just started so we have a lot of time to recover."
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