Arsene Wenger says Aaron Ramsey will be back to full training on Monday and available for Wednesday's Champions League clash away to Anderlecht, but the Arsenal manager denies that Mesut Ozil told him about the knee injury he sustained during the 2-0 defeat to Chelsea that keeps him out for at least six weeks.
Wenger did insist that time off might finally give the German playmaker the opportunity to get fully fit, as he reflected on a mixed week of injury news.
While the Arsenal boss acknowledged that they are "a bit short" defensively with the injury to Laurent Koscielny, he revealed that Theo Walcott and Serge Gnabry are back in full training, with Mikel Arteta back in the squad for Saturday's league encounter with Hull City.
"Ramsey will be back in full training on Monday and will be in the squad for Anderlecht on Wednesday," Wenger said.
"Koscielny has an Achilles problem that got worse, and Ozil is out for at least six weeks."
Koscielny picked up his injury on international duty with France, but Wenger denied it would need further surgery.
"[He] finds it difficult to play. You can only trust what the player says and he will not play on Saturday," Wenger added
Wenger: Koscielny is not in contention for Saturday, but he will not need to have surgery." #AFCvHCFC
- Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) October 16, 2014
"No. We have scanned him, no deterioration."
It was only on international duty, though, that the full extent of Ozil's injury was revealed.
Wenger had reportedly told beIN Sports that the German had informed the bench about his problem during the 2-0 defeat to Chelsea but Wenger denied that was the case.
"Look, he told me that once it was discovered on the scan," Wenger said. "He didn't tell me anything during the game; I didn't even know what happened during the game.
"The physio told me he had a little pain in his knee cap but can go on, but he said if you don't feel well, tell me and I take you off straight away.
"I left him on because we needed to score a goal and he can deliver the final ball. Then after the game he went to Germany.
"With Germany, they thought at the start it was nothing. They have him, he played on Sunday, they gave him Monday off, Tuesday off, on Wednesday morning he said he can still not practice.
"Then they sent him for a scan, and in this scan, they discovered he had a ligament injury that might be serious.
"That's the only positive, he gets the rest that he maybe did not have enough of after the World Cup. Although I must say, I gave him a month, that should be enough.
"The positive news is Walcott is back in full training, Gnabry is back in full training, Arteta is back in the squad. We have, as well, [Olivier] Giroud ahead of schedule, some positive news. In the defensive department, with the suspension of [Calum] Chambers, we are a bit short.
"Theo Walcott will not play Saturday but will play for the reserves/under-21s tomorrow. It's about confidence going into contact."
Wenger: "Rosicky came back with a kick on the calf but he should be available for Saturday." #AFCvHCFC
- Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) October 16, 2014
Arsenal are therefore expected to field left-back Nacho Monreal in the heart of defence alongside Per Mertesacker, with Hector Bellerin set to make his first Premier League start. Danny Welbeck has shaken off a knock he sustained on England duty and should lead the front line.