Arsenal defender Nacho Monreal claims he will be ready for Chelsea EFL Cup semi-final after hamstring injury

Nacho Monreal has hinted he will be available for Arsenal’s squad in time to face Chelsea in the EFL Cup on Wednesday night.

The Spanish defender was a fitness doubt after limping off 34 minutes into Saturday’s 4-1 win over Crystal Palace, in which he scored one and provided two assists, with what Arsene Wenger subsequently confirmed was a “kick on the back of his hamstring”.

Though the substitution had been precautionary Wenger warned in his press conference ahead of the semi-final second leg that there was uncertainty over whether the 31-year-old would be available in time for Chelsea’s visit to the Emirates.

However in a post on social media Monreal appeared to allay those concerns, writing on Twitter that he had enjoyed a “speedy recovery”, adding it was “time for the semi-finals”.