Alexis Sanchez will not be risked for Arsenal’s FA Cup third-round clash with Sunderland on Saturday (9th January) – the forward is still recovering from a hamstring injury and has been pencilled in for a return at Stoke on 17th January.

Arsene Wenger, Arsenal manager (Q: Is the FA Cup important for Arsenal?):

“For us it’s a very important competition, it’s our next game and there’s only one way to go into the next game and that’s to win it.”

(Q: How much confidence does it give you having already beaten Sunderland in the Premier League this season?)

“We are confidence because we know when we perform we can beat anybody in the Premier League but we have learnt that the Premier League this season is tricky. But we play at in front of our crowd, we feel that we can qualify but we have learnt against Sunderland, on the breaks they were very dangerous, it was a very hard fought win against them.”

Arsene Wenger, Arsenal manager (Q: What are your thoughts on Pep Guardiola moving to the Premier League?):

“I already answered that question two weeks ago and nothing has changed”

(Q: Looking forward to playing against him next season?)

“What is more interesting is what is happening on the pitch and managers are not on the pitch so we will not play against each other. Of course it’s interesting to have all the best players and all the best managers in the Premier League.”

Team Probable lineups

Arsenal: Ospina – Bellerin, Koscielny, Gabriel, Monreal – Flamini, Arteta – Walcott, Özil, Campbell – Giroud
Out: Welbeck, Wilshere, Rosicky, Cazorla, Coquelin, Sanchez

Sunderland: Pickford – Jones, Brown, Yedlin, Van Aanholt – M’Villa, Johnson, Toivonen – Graham, Fletcher, Lens
Out: Matthews, O’Shea, Rodwell, Larsson, Kaboul, Coates (?)

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