Granit Xhaka to Miss Manchester United Game with Swollen Ankle Injury

Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka will miss the Premier League match with Manchester United on Sunday because of a swollen ankle.

News of the injury came from manager Arsene Wenger on Thursday, via the Evening Standard's James Olley:

The former Borussia Monchengladbach star picked up the knock during the 2-0 north London derby defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in Arsenal's most recent game.

Xhaka joined the Gunners for a reported £35 million last summer, with Wenger trying to add some much-needed steel to the base of the Arsenal midfield.

The Switzerland international took some time to become fully integrated in the Premier League, although he has slowly improved in an Arsenal jersey. He'll be hopeful that this issue doesn't hinder what's been some encouraging progress.

Thankfully for Arsenal fans, Wenger's squad is bristling with midfield options. If the manager wants to replace the Swiss' combativeness, he can call upon Mohamed Elneny or Francis Coquelin. Aaron Ramsey is another potential replacement.

However, Xhaka's ability to blend that with other admirable attributes, such as passing and long-range shooting, is what's set to make him such a key part of the Arsenal squad for years to come.

The former Gladbach man can win the ball, take it forward and make things happen in the final third. Wenger doesn't have another player quite like him in his squad, and he will be desperate for Xhaka to make a speedy recovery.