Arsenal vs Sunderland: Arsene Wenger defends injury record as Alexis Sanchez and Santi Cazorla ruled out

Wenger revealed that Cazorla could be sidelined until March while Sanchez is set to miss the rest of the year

Arsene Wenger has defender Arsenal's injury track record (Getty Images)

Arsene Wenger defended Arsenal’s injury record this morning as he prepares for life without Alexis Sanchez and Santi Cazorla.

Arsenal host Sunderland in the Premier League tomorrow, with a squad depleted by injuries after last Sunday’s draining game at Norwich City. Sanchez will miss most of December with a hamstring injury while Cazorla will be out for longer with a knee problem.

Wenger said it was “possible” he would not return until March. Both players will be out for crucial games this month against Olympiakos, Manchester City and Southampton.

Despite the most recent spate of injuries, Wenger said that there was nothing wrong with the club’s medical processes. “We have medical tests,” he said. “We are quite sophisticated in testing our players. I had a chat with Alexis after his injury and he was adamant he felt perfect before the game because we tested his strength, stretching, all the signs we have we test every week were perfect. There was no obvious sign or alert before the game.”

While Arsenal face injury crises almost every autumn, Wenger said that the causes of injuries were more complex than people realised.

“You could analyse many things, the pitches, the pace of the game, the intensity,” Wenger said. “But there are as well mental components, emotions in your private life that can have an impact. It is not as rational and mathematical as people think. You try to master all the scientific aspects but there are as well some irrational factors in injuries sometimes.”

Wenger said that the absences of Cazorla and Sanchez would be a “big miss” for his team, who are already missing Francis Coquelin, Danny Welbeck, Jack Wilshere, Tomas Rosicky, Mikel Arteta and more.

“Ideally you want them all to be with you, but we are prepared to deal with it,” Wenger said. “It is a big miss with players like that but it is a opportunity for players to come in, fill in, show they have the quality and that they are fresh and that can give a good impact to the team.”