Arsenal will be without three of their best players for Premier League opener
Arsenal were handed a tough start to their Premier League season when the schedule-makers matched them with Liverpool to open the campaign and now their task will be even tougher. They'll have to play without Mesut Ozil, Olivier Giroud and Laurent Koscielny.
Arsene Wenger confirmed that the trio would miss the clash with Liverpool. All three players played at the Euros and went deep into the tournament. As a result, they have been on summer break and won't join Arsenal for training until next week, five days before they take on Liverpool.
Ozil led the Premier League in assists last season, while Giroud was Arsenal's top scorer and Koscielny is the Gunners' best central defender.
Arsenal add the trio to their already considerable injury concerns. Per Mertesacker, Koscielny's central defense partner, is already out with a knee injury and Danny Welbeck, who would have probably replaced Giroud, is also sidelined. Alexis Sanchez and Aaron Ramsey are also in doubt for the opener after just returning to training this week so the Arsenal team we see take on Liverpool could just be a shell of what Wenger is envisioning his team to be for the upcoming season.
MORE FROM FOX SOCCER
? "The Liverpool game will come too early for them."#VIKvAFC pic.twitter.com/Y3Fb8FUohP
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) August 5, 2016
