Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is optimistic Sead Kolasinac will shake off a hip injury in time to play against Manchester City on Sunday.
The Bosnian international limped out with 12 minutes left of Saturday’s 2-1 win over Swansea, a match in which he had scored and provided an assist, after suffering a recurrence of the knock that had initially threatened to rule him out of the game.
Kolasinac did not join first-team training ahead of Thursday’s Europa League tie against Red Star Belgrade but would likely not have featured in the match even if fully fit as Wenger is opting to play a largely different XI for cup competitions to that which plays in the Premier League.
Wenger is hopeful that the 24-year-old will be ready to feature at the Etihad on Sunday.
“Kolasinac was much better, he will have a test at the end of the week,” Wenger confirmed. “He is not ruled out of Sunday's game yet.
“It’s not as bad as we could have feared it at the start.”
Meanwhile neither Calum Chambers (hip), who returned to training over a week ago, nor David Ospina (groin) will be available for the visit of Red Star to the Emirates having failed to shake off injuries.
“Both of them are short,” Wenger said. “Ospina maybe will be available for Sunday.
“Chambers is back in full training but not fit enough to play.”
Shkodran Mustafi and Danny Welbeck are both on course to return after the international break, which begins after Sunday’s trip to Manchester.
