Wenger boosted by injury news

Cape Town - Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has revealed that both Per Mertesacker and Kieran Gibbs are expected to be fit for the north London derby on Saturday.

The defensive duo sat out the 2-1 Capital One Cup defeat to Southampton on Tuesday evening due to niggling injuries.

And Wenger says he had little choice playing an inexperienced back line that included 19-year-olds Hector Bellerin and Isaac Hayden with so many defenders sidelined.

"They [Gibbs and Mertesacker] will be alright," the Frenchman said after the game. "We are a bit short, yes, because of the injuries we have.

"You sit there and think Gibbs had a little hamstring problem and we could not play him. Mertesacker is a bit on the edge, and then we have no choice."

While the pair are expected to feature against Tottenham at the weekend, Nacho Monreal is a doubt, while Mathieu Debuchy faces three months out after undergoing surgery on his ankle.