Wenger: Arsenal can't afford to lose Oxlade-Chamberlain

The England star limped off in the latter stages of the Gunners' 4-1 win over Newcastle on Saturday and the Frenchman admits that he can ill afford to lose the 21-year-old. Arsenal are sweating over the fitness of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain ahead of their clash with Liverpool at Anfield, manager Arsene Wenger has revealed.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles replaced the England international in the latter stages of the Gunners' 4-1 win over Newcastle on Saturday, with Oxlade-Chamberlain appearing to suffer a recurrence of a previous groin problem.

Arsenal have been forced to deal with something of an injury crisis this season – they currently have eight senior players sidelined – and Wenger admits that he can ill afford to lose the 21-year-old ahead of the club's busy festive schedule.

"He got a knock. He's got a pain in his groin," Wenger told reporters. "I took him off quickly. I wanted to take him off and then he takes the ball and crosses the whole pitch and [after that piece of action] he cannot run anymore.

"We cannot afford to lose him at the moment. I hope it's nothing bad. He had a little bit of inflammation before the game. I took him to Galatasaray and maybe two games [in five days] was a lot for him."

Arsenal's win over Newcastle moved them into sixth in the Premier League, two points off the top four