Looks like we’re set to continue with another season chock-full of injuries, with many of our defenders out injured as the season begins this weekend.

It’s been confirmed that David Luiz will miss our season opener at Craven Cottage tomorrow lunchtime in a web article on the official website this morning.

They say that Luiz has a neck spasm and is having treatment, also that he’s had a ‘good response’, which hopefully means no long term injury as suggested by David Ornstein earlier in the week.

Emile Smith-Rowe has a shoulder injury but should be back in training within two weeks.

Sokratis has a calf strain and should be back to full training next week after the Fulham game.

The long term absentees remain Calum Chambers (knee), Pablo Mari (ankle), Gabriel Martinelli (knee) and Shkodran Mustafi (hamstring).

Pablo Mari is now running and aiming to return to full training by the end of September which is only a couple of weeks.

So that’s a small bit of injury-free light at the end of a very dark defensive-crisis shaped tunnel.

Watch Scott Parker’s view on the game here.

Arsenal also went on to say that Martinelli’s knee injury was successfully operated on, and the player is now undertaking a tailored daily rehab and fitness programme. He hopes to be back in full training by the end of the year.