Arsenal Midfielder Injured Again During Comeback Game

Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby is not fit enough to be in Monday’s squad to face Newcastle after the injury plagued midfielder picked up a minor groin niggle in his comeback game for the under-21 this week.

It is another cruel blow for the Frenchman who has been out for 13 months after a cruciate knee ligament injury which is the latest in a long line of problems to have dogged his career.

Gunners’ boss Arsene Wenger confirmed the “minor setback” and said: “He played one half for the under-21s.

“How far away he is is difficult to say but he had a little groin problem after the game so will not be available for Monday.”

Wenger is likely to have Thomas Vermaelen back after injury but Kieran Gibbs is still out.

“Everybody who was available at Hull last week will be available,” said Wenger.

“Vermaelen could be back so everybody should be there, but not Gibbs, not Diaby yet. Of course Wilshere and Walcott are still out as well.”

Wenger, meanwhile, also warned the quality of coaching in the Premier League will suffer if clubs keep hiring and firing managers.

In the week that Manchester United axed David Moyes, Wenger says that potential bosses will be put off from becoming managers.

Wenger added: “I’m sad that he (Moyes) wasn’t given time and I wish him well. I think it’s just part of what the modern game is now. There is no time available for people to do their job and that is a big threat for our game.

“If you want quality people in any job, you need to give them time to develop and to become good, or people with the quality will not come into our job anymore.