Arsenal team news: Emiliano Martinez to continue in goal against Crystal Palace but Laurent Koscielny ruled out

Arsenal will be without their two leading goalkeepers as well as there captain for Monday's trip to Selhurst Park

Jack de Menezes
Friday 07 April 2017 11:33 BST
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Emiliano Martinez will remain in goal for Arsenal with Petr Cech and David Ospina injured
Emiliano Martinez will remain in goal for Arsenal with Petr Cech and David Ospina injured (Getty)

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Arsenal will have to rely on third-choice goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez when they face Crystal Palace on Monday after Arsene Wenger confirmed that both Petr Cech and David Ospina remain injured, along with captain Laurent Koscielny.

Wenger’s update on Koscielny did have a positive spin to it though as he confirmed the injury was not ligament damage, and stressed that it should be a short-term issue that will see the France international return in time for the crucial FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City later this month.

However, he did rule Koscielny out of Monday’s trip to Selhurst Park, having been injured in last weekend’s 2-2 draw with City, meaning that Gabriel Paulista is set to continue at centre-back alongside Shkodran Mustafi.

Koscielny joins Cech and Ospina on the sidelines, with first-choice goalkeeper still absent due to a calf injury sustained in the defeat by West Brom three weeks ago and his back-up suffering a muscular injury of his own during the City draw.

"From Wednesday's game nobody should be out," Wenger said. "[Francis] Coquelin is back available after his family problem and will be in contention.

"Overall I don't believe [Petr] Cech will be available nor [David] Ospina."

That led Wenger to call on Martinez, as well as bringing Matt Macey back to the club from his loan spell with Luton Town, but he was impressed with how Martinez coped in Wednesday’s 3-0 victory over West Ham United that saw Arsenal move back to fifth after Manchester United faltered against Everton the previous day.

"He looked composed and calm [against West Ham]. I know personally he has the quality," said Wenger, who believes that his side can still finish inside the top four despite falling behind Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester City, albeit playing fewer matches than their closest rivals.

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