Arsenal vs Reading: Arsene Wenger hints that Wojciech Szczesny's time at the club may be nearing an end

The Pole received an ambiguous endorsement when his manager was asked about the goalkeeper's long-term future at the Emirates

Wojciech Szczesny (right) and David Ospina head for Arsenal training at London Colney (Getty)

Wojciech Szczesny will play for Arsenal against Reading in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, competing not just for a place in the final but also for his future at the club.

The Pole will continue as Arsenal’s cup keeper, the role he has fulfilled since his infamous display and post-match cigarette at Southampton on New Year’s Day. That is Arsène Wenger’s “line of conduct” with David Ospina playing in the Premier League and Champions League. Should Arsenal win, and reach the final, Szczesny would play that game, too.

But beyond that, and beyond this season, Szczesny’s continuance at Arsenal is far from clear, though there is no guarantee that Ospina would be first choice next season either, with the club open to upgrading their No 1 goalkeeper in the summer.

When Wenger was asked at his press conference whether Szczesny had a “long-term future” at the club, the manager paused – tellingly – before giving his ambiguous endorsement. “I hope, yes,” he said, “but at the moment it is very difficult to answer that question, you know. What is important is Saturday.”

Szczesny signed a long-term contract extension at Arsenal in November 2013, thought to last for at least another three seasons. But ever since that difficult afternoon on the south coast, he has been second-choice behind Ospina.

“I replaced Wojciech because he had a bad game,” Wenger explained, “I still think he is a great goalkeeper and I want him to have the opportunity to show that.” Hence the “line of conduct”, to which Wenger is rigorously adhering, whereby Ospina plays in the Premier League and Champions League, while Szczesny sticks to the FA Cup. Last season, of course, first-choice Szczesny was on the bench for the final, while Lukasz Fabianski played instead.

When asked whether it was difficult to not play his first-choice goalkeeper at Wembley, Wenger was clear: “They know the rules.”

Ospina has done excellently since he usurped Szczesny as first choice but Wenger was keen to make clear that nothing was set in stone. “That can change again,” he said. “It depends on the performances of Ospina and the performances of Wojciech. That can change. We are in a competitive world and you have to accept that nothing is definite. Every day it can change.”

Wenger also questioned the “conflicting” scheduling of the Premier League match between Chelsea and Manchester United on Sky in direct competition with their FA Cup semi-final against Reading on BBC.

“I am a bit surprised that a [Premier League] game of the same stature is played at the same time. There is a bit of conflict there that is difficult to understand,” said Wenger. “That, inside the country, shouldn’t happen. Something should be done about it.”

Jack Wilshere will be in the squad after five months out with an ankle injury. Mikel Arteta and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will not, though, with Wenger saying the England winger’s participation again this season was “in the balance”.

Ospina v Szczesny: 2014/15 comparison

David Ospina

Games 17

Starts 16

Conceded 13

Mins per goal conc. 112.9

Clean sheets 8

Win% 82

Red/yellow cards 0/0

Wojciech Szczesny

Games 27

Starts 27

Conceded 31

Mins per goal conc. 77.4

Clean sheets 8

Win% 52

Red/yellow cards 1/2

(all competitions)