Arsenal Handed Rob Holding Injury Boost Ahead of Premier League Clash With Watford

​Unai Emery will be boosted by the return of Rob Holding after the central defender returned to full training, placing him in contention for their upcoming Premier League clash with Watford.

The central defender was enjoying a consistent run in the first-team last season until his campaign came to an abrupt end in the 2-2 draw against Manchester United in early December.

After an awkward landing, Holding had to be substituted in the first-half before it being confirmed he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament of his left knee, with a nine-month layoff curtailing his promising start to life under Emery. Now, the club have confirmed on their ​official website that the 23-year-old is back in full training, placing him in contention for the upcoming ​Premier League fixtures.

While not match fit, Holding's could be thrust back into an ​Arsenal side that have conceded six goals already this season, with neither Sokratis Papastathopoulos or ​David Luiz covering themselves in glory so far with a series of defensive errors.


At the beginning of last season, the Gunners went on a 22-match unbeaten run - following opening defeats to Manchester City and Chelsea in the league - with Holding acting as a central component to that impressive spell.

Rob Holding

His subsequent injury then saw Arsenal struggle in back-to-back 1-0 wins over Huddersfield and Qarabag FK respectively, before the run was ended with defeat away at Southampton.


Meanwhile, fellow defensive trio Hector Bellerin, Kieran Tierney and Dinos Mavropanos are all set to return to full first-team training later this month. They too will act as a welcome return for Emery, who will be keen to see how his side clicks with first-choice right back Bellerin and new £25m addition Tierney in the side.


Source : 90min