Goalkeeper Manuel Almunia has been ruled out of Arsenal’s game at Partizan Belgrade this week.
The Gunners head for Serbia for the Champions League Group H clash without the Spanish stopper after he injured an elbow while conceding a penalty in Saturday’s shock 3-2 loss at West Bromwich Albion.
The club’s website confirms that Polish goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski will start in Belgrade, but adds that Kieran Gibbs may not travel if the full back has not sufficiently recovered from the bruised foot he suffered in last week’s 4-1 Carling Cup win at Tottenham Hotspur.
“We have Manual Almunia out,” said manager Arsene Wenger. “He has a problem with his elbow. He caught it when he made the penalty on Saturday.
“Also Kieran Gibbs has a test in training today (Monday).”
Almunia made the latest of a number of high-profile errors in the concession of West Brom’s second goal, scored by Gonzalo Jara, on Saturday. However, Wenger insists he would be starting at Partizan if he was fit and that he is not being dropped.
The Frenchman added: “(The keeper) is always the easy target, the easy scapegoat. But we win together and we lose together even if people think he made a mistake on the second goal.”
Fabianski, himself, could have done better when he conceded to Robbie Keane in the win at Spurs that Gibbs was injured in.