Arsenal boss: Welbeck's injury affected players v Sporting

Arsenal's Danny Welbeck is stretchered off after suffering an injury on Thursday. Pic/AFP

Unai Emery admitted the horror injury suffered by Danny Welbeck affected Arsenal's players in their goalless Europa League draw with Sporting Lisbon here on Thursday. England striker Welbeck was taken to hospital after sustaining a suspected broken ankle in the first half when he challenged for a header in the box before crumpling onto the pitch.

Many of Welbeck's team-mates appeared distressed as he received lengthy treatment and needed an oxygen mask before being carried off on a stretcher. Gunners boss Emery said: "It's the worst news tonight, this injury. It's clear that we are with him in these minutes. He was working well and he was having a good match. He had some chances too. His injury was with the mentality of the players. They saw it was a big injury.

"When you are playing football, when you are playing in competitive matches, it can happen. You don't want it to happen but this is our profession. "Now he is at the hospital. The news is that we are going to wait - but we think it's a serious injury."

The incident seemed to affect both sets of players for the rest of the game, with little in the way of goalscoring opportunities. Meanwhile, Olivier Giroud headed Chelsea into the knockouts as they beat BATE Borisov 1-0 in Belarus. His 53rd-minute goal secured a fourth successive Group L win for the Blues.

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