Arsenal injury news: Jack Wilshere hinted at early return ahead of Dinamo Zagreb victory

Arsenal have been handed a positive update on the injury front with Jack Wilshere hinting that he could be ahead of schedule in his recovery process from a shin injury sustained during a training session. The England international was pencilled in for a return to the first-team in January, but the midfielder admitted that he could be back sooner.

The 23-year-old midfielder, however, is wary of possible setbacks due to the number if injury absences in recent seasons and therefore is unwilling to give a specific time for his expected return. Arsene Wenger will be hoping to have Wilshere for the second half of the season, as the Gunners are facing an injury crisis that could threaten to derail their good start to the 2015/16 Premier League campaign. Francis Coquelin is the latest member to join the crocked list with the Frenchman expected to be out for at least three months with medial knee ligament damage.

Wilshere, who is yet to play a game in the Premier League this season, has admitted that his two children Archie and Delilah have played an important role in his recovery process.

"I've been in this position before, where I'm back on the pitch, doing a bit of running and all of a sudden something goes wrong so I don't want to say I'll be in a month or at Christmas. I'll be back when I feel ready but at the minute it's going well," Wilshere said ahead of Arsenal's 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb, as quoted by the Mirror.

"You're working longer days [in the gym]. I'm in from 9am until 4pm. When you get home and you get in the door and see them and they're running up to me and saying, 'Daddy, we missed you'. It is nice. It makes it worth it. I can't remember my life without them. It must help me," the Gunners midfielder added.

Tomas Rosicky, Danny Welbeck and Mikel Arteta are also out injured with the last two expected to return only in the New Year. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, however, has handed Wenger yet another boost after recovering from a hamstring injury he sustained during Arsenal's loss to Sheffield Wednesday in the League Cup. The midfielder has suffered a minor setback, which saw him miss the loss to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday (21 November), but he is set to be available for selection for the north London club's trip to Norwich City on Sunday (29 November), according to the Daily Mail.