Perez sidelined

LONDON. — Arsenal striker Lucas Perez is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines with an ankle injury. The Arsenal summer signing, who cost £17million from Deportivo de La Coruna, was forced off after 72 minutes during Tuesday’s 2-0 EFL Cup win over Reading.And Arsene Wenger says Perez will be out of action for up to eight weeks after the Arsenal striker was targeted by a “stupid” challenge from Reading’s Danzell Gravenberch. Gunners boss Wenger is furious that Gravenberch clattered Perez in Arsenal’s 2-0 League Cup victory at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday.

Perez will now miss a significant portion of Arsenal’s campaign with an ankle problem and Wenger is frustrated that Dutch defender Gravenberch avoided punishment for the challenge. Wenger likened Gravenberch’s tackle to the incident that led to a red card for Arsenal’s Granit Xhaka in a 3-2 win over Swansea earlier this month. — The Daily Express.