Per Mertesacker returns for Arsenal in their League Cup third round tie at Tottenham tonight, as manager Arsene Wenger says he will pick an "experienced squad".
However, the Gunners manager has revealed that midfielder Francis Coquelin is sidelined with a knee injury.
"Francis Coquelin will be out and we have no major problems for anybody else. It should be a similar squad," Wenger told arsenal.com
"[Coquelin's] knee is swollen and he is being assessed but we hope it is just a short-term problem."
Wenger usually sees the League Cup as a way of using his emerging young players, but the Frenchman has said that he will be playing an "experienced squad" at White Hart Lane, with only "one or two" youngsters, one of which is expected to be Alex Iwobi, the 19-year-old striker who is the nephew of former Bolton great Jay-Jay Okocha.
"[Iwobi] is in and out a little bit because we travel a lot. He is doing well," Wenger said.
"I want to keep the squad together. We go game by game so I will make changes, for sure. How many? I’ve not decided yet. It will be quite an experienced squad with one or two younger players."
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