Arsene Wenger insists Olivier Giroud’s recovery is going well

Arsene Wenger has been lifted with the news that striker Olivier Giroud’s operation on a broken leg went ‘perfectly’, and the player is recovering well.

“Olivier Giroud is recovering very well,” he said. “I believe he is ahead of schedule in terms of rehabilitation. The operation went perfectly.”

Wenger, whose Gunners team is currently 20/1 with Coral to win the Premier League title, also insists that Giroud will be able to play in the same team as England’s Danny Welbeck when fit, and will have no problems gelling with the former Manchester United frontman.

“Welbeck and him can play together in the centre or separately,” Wenger added. “Welbeck also played on one side to Manchester United. Welbeck played in the same team with [Wayne] Rooney and [Robin] van Persie. He can play down the sides.”

The Arsenal boss also revealed that he made the correct decision not to re-sign former player Cesc Fabregas in the summer, who was a pivotal part of Chelsea’s recent 2-0 win over the Gunners at Stamford Bridge.

Jose Mourinho’s men, who are odds-on at 1/2 to win the Premier League, currently lead their north London rivals by nine points, leaving Wenger with a considerable amount of work to do, if he wants to win the title.

“I don’t regret not taking Cesc because we already had a lot of creative players in our midfield,” he continued.

“Chelsea will also have a difficult period [in the season]. Our schedule was extremely difficult and I have the belief that we can close the gap to them.”

Wenger has also apologised for the push on Blues opposite number Mourinho in the defeat, after it emerged that Chelsea’s Portuguese boss may have provoked him.

“In hindsight I think I should not have reacted at all, it’s not a way to behave on a football field. I always regret any signs of violence and I apologise, but that’s a part of games where everything is manic. And then we have quite a substantial past.