Arsenal: Arsene Wenger hoping for quick Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain recovery after injury setback

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed that midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has suffered a setback in his recovery and is hoping that his midfielder can recover before the end of the season.

The English midfielder suffered a hamstring injury during the Gunners' win over Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter finals and it was understood that he will miss three weeks due to the injury.

But the French manager is hoping that Oxlade-Chamberlain does not have to undergo surgery during the summer, since it is no longer the hamstring injury that is troubling him but a groin inflammation.

The 65-year-old manager has revealed that the midfielder will be sidelined for a minimum of two weeks, thus ruling him out of Arsenal's FA Cup semi final clash against Reading at Wembley on 18 April.

"Alex is not available for the next two weeks at least. He will not be available for the semi-final of the FA Cup. Not this week, not next week," Wenger said, as quoted by the Telegraph.

"It is taking a bit longer than I thought because he has a groin inflammation. It is related to everything before. I hope it does not become a long-term problem, but he faces a hurdle this week in training."

"We will see if he has recovered well, so the end of this week and the start of next week are important – to see if he got rid of that inflammation. It is not his hamstring any more. It is groin inflammation," the Gunners boss added.

Meanwhile, midfield trio Jack Wilshere, Mikel Arteta and Abou Diaby along with defender Mathieu Debuchy have all recovered from their respective long-term injuries and are available for Arsenal's trip to Turf Moor on 11 April.

The trio successfully came through two U21 matches and the north London club's manager is hopeful that they can remain fit until the end of the season.

"They were at a good level physically and should all be available from now on until the end of the season hopefully," Wenger concluded, as quoted by the Mirror.