When it was seeming all grey in the middle of the season, they recovered unexpectedly in the European stage. The recent days of this Premier League club is going quite well as they are all clear to move to semifinals of the Europa League. Arsenal managed to overcome the Russian side CSKA Moscow successfully and thrashed them out of the league by 6-3 aggregate.
Arsenal were without Aubameyang as he is being registered as Borussia Dortmund player but neither did they have Mkhitaryan. The Armenian midfielder missed 2-2 quarter-final second-leg draw away at Moscow on Thursday night. He was also absent in the dramatic 3-2 home win over Southampton in the Premier League last weekend. Mkhitaryan is suffering from a knee injury, where Arsenal may need him in the semifinals. Though the side has done quite a eye soothing play work in the quarter finals but may be it is the time where the star players need to shine. The Armenian is a creative midfielder. His skills and runs off to the opponent half was lightening the burden of Mesut Ozil. Though he has scored only two goals for the Gunners yet, but his willingness to shoot create pace and adding variety to the attack.
Wenger says it would be end of the April, when he may return. So it means Arsenal played Sunday’s top-flight clash with Newcastle and lost, though with West Ham the following weekend, things could get interesting as the season goes on.
The long featuring injury of Mkhitaryan has put the fans in doubt whether he would be available in the semifinals of the Europa League. It is quite a tough fixture for the Gunners where they have to deal with Spanish League stunner Atletico Madrid on April 26 and the return a week later on May 3.
Wenger explained that Mkhitaryan has a medial ligament strain and he may go out for two more weeks. He also said not to be worried as Arsenal has got very good medical stuff and Henrikh is said to be a serious guy about rehab. Things are indicating towards his absence in the first leg of Europa League against Atletico. It would be a challenging situation for the French manager to line up his side against the favourites without him. Mkhitaryan may arrive in the match against Manchester United and may become available for the second leg.
The North London club is trying everything in their hand to win the Europa League keeping no stones unturned. The trophy will lead them to next year’s Champions League and it would be the only way for them to get a chance to be in the Europe’s best league.
Arsenal are thirteen points off from the fourth placed Tottenham and drooling at sixth spot in Premier League. The chances to finish in top four seems next to impossible. Arsenal led 4-1 from the first leg but found themselves 2-0 down on the night after 50 minutes in Russia. Thanks to Danny Welbeck, his struggling effort 15 minutes from time staved off CSKA’s hopes of a comeback before Aaron Ramsey scored a stoppage-time equaliser.
