KEY POINTS

  • Paul Clement says Bony and Sanches remain in rehab after respective hamstring and thigh injuries.
  • Martin Olsson faces scan on hamstring injury but out of trip to The Emirates Stadium.
  • Sam Clucas, Kyle Naughton and Angel Rangel in contention with the Swans without a recognised senior left-back.

Swansea City are without four key players for the Premier League trip to Arsenal, with striker Wilfried Bony and midfielder Renato Sanches not ready to return from respective muscle injuries. Full-back Martin Olsson is also out after going off against Manchester United, while Kyle Bartley is a long-term absentee after damaging knee ligaments in August.

Bony, who is without a goal since returning to south Wales, has missed the last three games with a hamstring problem though he could feature against Brighton and Hove Albion next weekend. Sanches returned in the defeat to Leicester City but was substituted 12 minutes from time after picking up a fresh thigh problem.

Olsson joined the treatment table in mid-week after picking up a hamstring strain, and though Swansea are yet to determine the fully extent of the damage he will miss the clash with Arsenal. Manager Paul Clement is therefore without a senior left-back and may have to reshuffle his pack to cover for the loss of the Sweden international.

"He has an injury," Clement told the media of Olsson's condition, after he was replaced after 39 minutes of the 2-0 Carabao Cup defeat to United on Tuesday [24 October. "He's being scanned today which is not abnormal that he would have the scan 48 hours after the game because you let some of the inflammation go down and the scan can be more effective if done at this time period and not straight after.

"The initial indication is that he does have a small injury in the hamstring but we're just going to confirm that and we'll get the results of that from the scan. Almost certainly won't be available for this weekend.

"We don't have a recognised left-back at first-team level to go straight in in that position because Stephen Kingsley went to Hull as part of the Sam Clucas deal. We do have players who have versatility. Sam Clucas is an obvious one, so is Kyle Naughton who can go across to the other side. Angel Rangel can also play in that position.

"Wilfried is rehabbing. He is clear of the injury now but now he needs to get the fitness up and it is a matter of how long that is going to take. That is a combination of how his body reacts and adapts to the training load. He won't be available for this weekend. We'll see how he progress and see if he can be available for the Brighton game at home. Similar situation [with Sanches]. Not available for this weekend and I also think that next weekend will be a push for him but he is already showing signs of improvement."

Though Swansea travel to The Emirates Stadium with four defeats in their last five games and with just one league win away from home this season, they have an impressive top flight record in north London. The club from south Wales have only lost at Arsenal once in the last five Premier League visits and Clement is confident of attaining a similar result, having already held Tottenham Hotspur this term.

"We know they're in a good moment," admitted Clement. "They had a really win away at Everton. [The Emirates] is a tough place to go. You know you're not going to have as much of the ball as you would like. We're going to have to defend collectively and hope we can convert a couple of chances we might get.

"The framework always has to be that you defend well. We went to Tottenham – arguably they're even stronger than Arsenal – and got a really good point there. We're going to have to be as strong and determined as that defensively and just hope we had a bit more of the ball."

Wilfried Bony and Renato Sanches
Bony and Sanches have started just one Premier League game together this season. Getty Images