Arsenal Football Club News

• Nickname:Gunners
• Founded:1886
• Manager:Arsene Wenger

• Ground:Emirates
• Capacity:60,432

Silvestre set to face United

06 Nov 2008 - 16:46:32

Click To Enlarge

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is ready to gamble on the fitness of Mikael Silvestre after suggesting the defender will face former club Manchester United on Saturday.

The 31-year-old Frenchman suffered a broken nose against Fenerbahce in the Champions League on Wednesday evening.

Silvestre joined the Gunners on a free transfer from the Old Trafford club during the summer but is set to shake off the facial injury and face his former team-mates in Saturday's lunchtime kick-off.

"Mikael has a broken nose with an open wound on the side," Wenger told the club's official website.

"Basically he should be capable of playing. But in the next 48 hours I will have to decide what we do.

"You cannot rule him out and I feel he can play. But I have to decide whether I go for the gamble or not."

Meanwhile, Wenger has admitted that he still has concerns over the fitness of Bacary Sagna (ankle), Theo Walcott (shoulder) and captain William Gallas (hamstring).

However, goalkeeper Manuel Almunia is expected to feature against the champions after shaking off the fitness bug which prevented him from playing against the Turkish side in midweek.

"We will not know about Walcott and Gallas before tomorrow (Friday) afternoon. It is 50/50 for both," added Wenger.

"As for Sagna, there was a gamble on him that I did not want to take (against Fenerbahce). We could not take it today in training either. He still needed to be out of impact work.

"I think he should be okay for Saturday but there is still a slight concern."