Arsenal injury news: Francis Coquelin feared out until 2016 with knee ligament damage

Arsenal are set to be without eight players for their important Champions League group game against Dinamo Zagreb at the Emirates on Tuesday, 24 November. Injuries to Francis Coquelin and Mikel Arteta against West Bromwich Albion mean that they are quite thin in the midfield department, with Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Tomas Rosicky still unavailable due to injury.

The Mirror reports that Coquelin is set to be unavailable until at least 2016 with knee ligament damage, which will be a massive blow to Arsenal's chances of winning their inaugural league title since 2004. The 24-year-old was pivotal for Arsenal's upsurge over the past year and his unavailability will be felt in the defensive midfield position where he has been one of the most consistent players in the division.

The Gunners are only two points adrift of a position at the top, which is currently being held by Leicester City, but have failed to win any of their last three games in all competitions. The run of form comes after they had won all their games in the league in October, keeping them in touching distance at the top.

Coquelin's absence will have to be alleviated by the presence of Mathieu Flamini, who is presently the only fit central midfielder at the club, along with Ramsey and Chamberlain who would be available by the weekend.

Flamini scored a brace against Tottenham to knock them out of the Capital One Cup, but has not featured on a regular basis in the squad and has to grab this opportunity with both hands to make himself an indispensable part of the squad.

Kieran Gibbs, who started against West Brom, is likely to keep his position on the left with Alexis Sanchez starting on the right. The Chilean was the only glimmer of light in what was otherwise an underwhelming performance from the Gunners at the Hawthorns, spurning yet another chance to go top at the expense of Manchester City.