Arsenal's Premier League dreams are on the line. The team suffered a shocking defeat on Wednesday losing 1-2 against Swansea City and now enter the weekend facing a must-win matchup against Tottenham if they have any intention of clinching the Premier League title or even a spot in the top two. Injuries are going to play an important part in how that match unfolds.
Arsenal has dealt with injuries throughout the season, but these two might be too difficult to overcome. Entering Saturday's match against Tottenham, Arsenal will be without Petr Cech and Laurent Koscielny which leaves the team very empty-handed. Cech injured his hamstring in the loss to Swansea while Koscielny has a calf issue that he cannot recover from.
The biggest loss is Cech. The goalkeeper got hurt trying to sprint back toward the goal in the final seconds of the match. David Ospina will have to make an appearance in goal in the most important match of the season. He has made five appearances all season.
"Petr Cech struggled. He had a groin problem before the game, and he struggled on a little bit tonight," said Wenger. "He will not play on Saturday....I trust complete Ospina, I have no problem with that."
Arsenal sits in third in the Premier League standings, three points against Tottenham and six points behind the leader Leicester City. That makes Saturday match a must-win. If Arsenal cannot find a way to top its biggest rivals it will see its title hopes slip away.
Manager Arsene Wenger believes Arsenal has just gotten unlucky in its last few matches which is why it is losing. Losses to Barcelona, Manchester United and now Swansea have diminished the team's confidence, and Wenger is worried it will be hard to get back.
"We have to focus on our job, and remind ourselves that we have some quality as well. And of course analyse it well, and bounce back. We have a big game in three days again," Wenger said.
There is a lot of criticism coming out in regards to Wenger's job security. This was supposed to be the season that Arsenal went all the way. Now the team is in danger of an ugly collapse, and Wenger is getting all of the blame for it. If Arsenal does not win the Premier League title, many believe that he should be fired and the team can then head into the summer transfer window with money to rebuild. Wenger has been consistent for 20 years, but fans are not happy with the collapse, and the injuries will not help the team bounce back.