Charles Watts
- Arsenal won 2-0 to move five points clear
- Xhaka went down one minute into match
- He was replaced by Fabio Vieira
WHAT HAPPENED? Several members of the Gunners squad started to feel ill a few hours before kick-off at Molineux and Granit Xhaka was then forced off just 15 minutes into the contest due to stomach problems.
WHAT THEY SAID: Speaking about Xhaka after the game, Arteta said: “He’s fine. He wasn’t feeling good and for Granit to put his hand up and say: ‘I need to come off’ [says a lot]. He wasn’t feeling good at all. We had a few boys with some tummy issues. Obviously we can’t change three or four in the first half, so I’m delighted we adapted to those circumstances as well to win the game.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: When pushed further on how things played out in the build-up to the game, Arteta added: “It was after the pre-match meal. The doctor was trying to get some players sorted because they weren’t feeling good. On match day I don’t eat a lot, so I am fine.”
IN THREE PHOTOS:
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL? After a week's holiday, the Arsenal players who are not at the World Cup will return to London Colney before flying out to Dubai for a warm weather training camp.