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Arsene Wenger

London. — Arsene Wenger is sweating on the fitness of Olivier Giroud and Mathieu Debuchy after the France stars suffered injuries in Arsenal’s 3-1 Premier League win against Bournemouth yesterday. Debuchy limped off after just 16 minutes of his first appearance for Arsenal since November 2015 and Giroud sustained a hamstring problem. Gunners boss Wenger revealed the injury-plagued Debuchy fears he has a serious injury and the right-back is set to go for scans next week to determine the extent of the problem.

“Debuchy thinks it is a severe one, but don’t go too far yet. I have to speak to the medical people,” Wenger said. “We have to let it breathe. Usually he would have an MRI in a couple of days.“Debuchy had many setbacks so I imagined something could happen to him when I picked the squad.”

Giroud will also be assessed to see how bad the damage is following the striker’s substitute appearance, but Wenger played down concerns over Theo Walcott, who came off following a strong second-half tackle. “Walcott was just a kick. The only worry we have is Giroud,” Wenger said.

“He looked to touch his hamstring. We have to see how deep the damage is. He told me on his first movement he felt a twinge.” Meanwhile, Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes scored an unfortunate own goal to gift Stoke City a 1-0 win on Sunday that elevated Mark Hughes’s side into the top half of the Premier League table.

Watford’s recent victims at Vicarage Road include Manchester United and champions Leicester City, and they would have climbed to sixth place with victory, but they were second-best against Stoke.However, a dream debut for Southampton’s latest teenage talent Josh Sims ensured a nightmare return to St Mary’s for former manager Ronald Koeman whose lacklustre Everton side were beaten 1-0 in the Premier League on Sunday. The 19-year-old winger is the latest youngster off the club’s academy production line and took just 43 seconds to justify his starting place, scooping the ball on to Charlie Austin who headed Southampton into the lead from close range. — AFP