Arsenal Boost As Duo Are Expected To Return Ahead Of Schedule

Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Sead Kolasinac will ease the burden on Nacho Monreal…

Arsenal duo Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Sead Kolasinac are set to return ahead of schedule with the latest medical updated indicated that a return to first-team training looms for the pair.

Kolasinac is yet to play this season after suffering a knee injury against Chelsea in a pre-season friendly in late August, and it was initially mooted that he’d be out for 10 weeks.

For Ainsley, a freak incident on the opening day against Manchester City saw him diagnosed with a fractured fibula, which surprised many given the teenager’s eagerness to continue playing.

Both injuries meant that there would be an added burden on Nacho Monreal, and with three competitions to play over the next few weeks, it will ease the load on the Spaniard.

‘Small fracture to left fibula. Progressing well and now expected to return to full training in early October (initially aiming to return to training in November)’, an update on the club’s official website read regarding Maitland-Niles.

As for Kolasinac: ‘Left knee injury. Progressing well and now expected to return to full training in early October (initially aiming to return during the month of October)’.

The return of the aforementioned duo will also allow Unai Emery to experiment with a back three, a system that we found some success with under Arsene Wenger a few years ago.

It would mean that Laurent Koscielny remains on the sidelines as our most long-term injury.