Arsene Wenger: Alexis Sanchez and Laurent Koscielny not travelling to Galatasaray

Arsene Wenger has revealed that Alexis Sanchez and Laurent Koscielny will not be part of the squad travelling to Galatasaray on Tuesday.

The Chilean has started in every game over the last two months and has been given some much deserved rest in a fixture which does not hold much promise for the Gunners. Arsenal are currently second in the table and need Borussia Dortmund to lose to Anderlecht at home for them to have any chance of qualifying out of the group as winners.

Koscielny was rested for Arsenal's game against Stoke City to tend to an inflamed Achilles and will not play any part in Turkey, with Wenger keeping his most promising players fit in order to cope with the succession of games scheduled during the Christmas period.

The Gunners had Calum Chambers, Hector Bellerin, Per Mertesacker and Kieran Gibbs in defense in a shambolic performance against Stoke City, where they conceded three goals in the first half, which mutilated any chance they had of fashioning a comeback.

Wenger is willing to learn from his mistakes and is giving his best players some much needed rest, so they do not fall short in crunch games. The Gunners have a plethora of injuries lined up, with Mesut Ozil and Jack Wilshere set to return next year while Theo Walcott, Mathieu Debuchy and Nacho Monreal are expected to be available for the myriad of games ahead.

"A few players [will not travel] because there's not a lot at stake and we have given a lot in the last two weeks. We have to recover a little bit," Wenger told the team's official website.

"Alexis will not travel and I don't think I can play, for example, Koscielny. He didn't play on Saturday and I don't see why I should risk him for a game where there's not a lot at stake.

"First place hypothetically, but there's maybe a 10 per cent chance," he concluded.