London – Arsenal forward Lukas Podolski will return to training this week after more than three months out with a left hamstring injury, handing the Premier League leaders an alternative up front for the busy festive period.
Olivier Giroud has been shouldering the attacking burden for Arsenal since Podolski was hurt during the Champions League playoff win over Fenerbahce at the end of August.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says Podolski will be back in training after Wednesday's match against Hull, adding that “it will take at least a week with normal training to consider him fit for the squad.”
The game against Hull is the first of eight matches in a 28-day span through to Jan. 1 for Arsenal, which leads the league by four points after 13 games. – Sapa-AP