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'Will be difficult' - Attacker confirms injury blow, major doubt for Tottenham clash v Arsenal
By Russell Edge
Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud has confirmed that he has picked up a muscle injury which leaves him as a major doubt for the club’s derby clash against Tottenham on Saturday.
The French forward is currently on international duty, and scored his 29th goal in what was his 69th appearance for his country in a 2-0 friendly win over Wales on Saturday.
However, just minutes after netting he was replaced and was later seen to have both strapping on his leg and an ice pack pressed into his thigh.
After the game, the 31-year-old confirmed that he had picked up a muscular injury prior to the international clash and had taken painkillers to try and allow him to play through, although stated that he did not know whether he would be fit enough for his country’s match against reigning world champions Germany on Tuesday.
He told French publication L’Equipe: “It’s a small muscle injury. I put on a strap and took one or two anti-inflammatories and it allowed me to play.
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“I do not like to go out of business like that. I can not tell you more for Tuesday at the moment.”
His injury leaves him as a major doubt for the Gunners’ north London derby with Tottenham at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, although he would have been unlikely to have been named among the starting XI.
So far this season he has 11 league outings and one goal to his name but not one has come as a start, instead having been used exclusively as an impact substitute.
Instead he has found the majority of his game time in cup competitions such as the Europa League and League Cup, having netted twice in six appearances across both tournaments.
In other Tottenham news, this Spurs figure is at the centre of a tug of war between two European giants.
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