Welbeck out of FA Cup final

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The Arsenal striker, who scored the quarter-final winner against his previous club Manchester United, missed the final five matches of the Premier League season.

And Arsene Wenger has now confirmed Welbeck’s ongoing injury will keep him out of England’s games against Republic of ireland and Slovenia on top of Saturday’s Wembley showdown with Aston Villa.

“Danny Welbeck will not be fit, not for us, nor for England,” Wenger said at his pre-Wembley press conference. “We called them yesterday, the FA, to explain that his bone bruising of the knee has not healed.”

Confirmation of Welbeck’s absence apparently leaves Wenger with a straight choice between Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott at centre-forward, but the Arsenal boss would not be drawn on his selection plans.

“I don’t know who will start yet and it’s not important because it’s just on the day in the FA Cup final,” he said. “What is important is that you bring the trophy back. It’s always a concern for the whole squad.

“I will not tell you anything today. Nobody knows at the moment. I just think it is important to focus as a whole squad on winning the trophy.

“Most of the time the heroes are the people who come on in an FA Cup final – they make the difference. That’s why it is important as a reward for the whole team who have fought very hard the whole season to get there. Let’s deal with it as a whole squad.”

Mathieu Debuchy, whose only game in more than four months was the semi-final win against Reading, is available along with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who made his return from injury against West Brom on Sunday.