LONDON. — Arsenal’s season was plunged into crisis on Monday night as Alexis Sanchez and Santi Cazorla were ruled out of next week’s crucial Champions League soccer showdown with Olympiakos. But Arsenal are hopeful Laurent Koscielny will be in contention for Saturday’s English Premier League home game against Sunderland. The France defender had to be replaced by Gabriel after only 11 minutes of Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Norwich after suffering a hip problem. However, the injury is not serious and the Gunners hope Koscielny will be back in training by the end of the week. Sanchez and Cazorla suffered hamstring and knee injuries respectively at Carrow Road but Arsenal’s medical staff are still assessing the midfield duo.

Left-back Kieran Gibbs has missed Arsenal’s last two matches with a slight calf problem, but is expected to return to full training this week and is likely to feature in the squad to face Sunderland.

Forward Theo Walcott looks set to remain on the sidelines – he has not played since suffering a calf injury in the 3-0 Capital One Cup defeat at Sheffield Wednesday on October 27 – but is poised to return to training and should be available for selection ahead of the Christmas period.

Joint top scorer and key striker Sanchez is facing a three-week lay-off with a hamstring injury aggravated in the 1-1 draw at Norwich on Sunday, and Spanish midfielder Cazorla was injured in the same match and could be out for a similar length of time. Gunners manager Arsene Wenger is likely to be without eight first-team players for Saturday’s home Premier League clash with Sunderland.

England full-back Gibbs missed the Norwich game with a calf problem but is set to return for Saturday.

But that is likely to be the only good news, as Wenger already has Jack Wilshere, Danny Welbeck, Mikel Arteta, Tomas Rosicky and Francis Coquelin sidelined long term, and England striker Theo Walcott is facing a battle to be fit before Christmas. — The Daily Express.

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