Cup Final countdown: A few injuries to contend with...

Last updated : 11 May 2003 By Chris Parry
Following the Sunderland game, there are a couple more names on the 'injured' list, namely Ray Parlour and Oleg Luzhny. Ray damaged an ankle and 'The Horse' suffered a suspected knee ligament strain.

As Arsene Wenger says however, missing players won't be used as an excuse for losing next weekend:

"We have players out through injuries but others have shown they can perform well and we will have no excuses for losing. In earlier rounds I have not had players like Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Vieira in the starting team, but I have always picked a side that I believed would win the match.

"Now we have Sol Campbell out through a harsh suspension and Vieira still missing with his knee injury, but I have some choices to make because, hopefully, we will have a few of the other injured players back.

"It will be a big test again. We have just beaten Southampton 6-1 but we expect a much different game against them in Cardiff and with a lot of different players involved on both sides

"We have regrets about the 3-2 defeat we suffered against them (in December). They made it very tough for us and I am convinced they will play that way again."