Tuesday 5 November 2019 13:29, UK
Arsenal's Premier League campaign has been boosted with the latest injury bulletin on Alexis Sanchez and Jack Wilshere.
The Gunners host struggling Newcastle on January 2 having climbed to the summit of the Premier League after goals by Gabriel and Mesut Ozil helped the team to a 2-0 win over Bournemouth on Monday.
Sanchez's return would be a huge lift for their title push with the Chilean forward sidelined by a hamstring problem suffered in the 1-1 draw at Norwich on November 9.
Arsene Wenger said on Wednesday the showdown with the Magpies was too early for Sanchez but the FA Cup third-round match with Sunderland on January 9 was "possible".
The ongoing recovery of Wilshere will go down well at England's HQ as well as the Emirates. Wenger had feared his midfielder would be out for the rest of the season having fractured a fibula in pre-season.
But the latest medical update is a more positive one and Wenger said: "He could make it back for February or even earlier. He will be available again. Considering England play the Euros on June 10, that is a long way."
It has been a good end of year for the north London club who have jumped above all their title rivals, despite a blip on the south coast on Boxing Day with a 4-0 defeat at Southampton.
Asked if Arsenal have the potential to go all the way and win their first top-flight title since 2004, Wenger said: "You cannot say that we have no chance after 19 games, we have a chance.
"We are mature and the most important thing is at the end of the season to know we've given everything.
"The team has grown in stature, is more mature, more reliable and we won the FA Cup and the Community Shield. We are in a strong position in the Premier League so hopefully 2016 will be better.
"The public opinion is not always stable, it changes a lot. It is always linked with the final result. We have to rise above that and show that we can deal with it. I believe we have to be guided by playing better football and being a real team in every game and show that we can be competitive.
"If a team is better than us then fair enough. But we must give everything. I believe we have to focus on ourselves more than looking at who will be our threat."
