Arshavin set for Arsenal debut

Arsene Wenger has confirmed Russia playmaker Andrey Arshavin will make his Arsenal debut against Sunderland at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

Arshavin has not featured for the Premier League club since completing his 15 million pounds switch from Zenit St Petersburg at the end of the January transfer window.

The 27-year-old was an unusued substitute for Arsenal’s goalless draw against Tottenham and was ineligible for Monday’s FA Cup win over Cardiff.

Arshavin has not played a competitive match since the end of the Russian Premier League season in late November.

But Wenger revealed he is now close to full match fitness and will feature against Sunderland at some stage as Arsenal aim to close the gap on the Premier League’s top four.

“He will be involved,” Wenger told Arsenal TV Online. “But I have not decided what I will do with him yet.

“He is still working on preparation and he is not qualified for the (Champions League) game against Roma (on Tuesday) so we can give him another week of hard work.

“At the end of next week, that will be three weeks with us and one week with Zenit, that should be enough.”