Arsene Wenger hints knee injury is behind Lacazette's goal drought

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has suggested that Alexandre Lacazette's knee injury could have been behind his lean goalscoring run over the past few months.

The France international started the season in relatively good scoring touch, but his form has been poor since December with just two goals in 14 appearances.

Speaking to BeIN Sport, Wenger revealed that the Frenchman had a swelling on his left knee shortly after the Spurs game, and this was responsible for the immediate operation.

Meanwhile, the 67-year-old attributed his compatriot's scoring form to the injury and believes it may have restricted him from replicating his showing from the early part of the campaign.

"He got a surprising swell of the knee after the game against Tottenham and he needed surgery very quick," he said. "It's a massive blow for us and we have to find a solution. 

"Nobody could predict that. I think he recently must have felt something in his knee. Maybe that's an explanation as to why he wasn't scoring as many goals as he's used to."

Lacazette is expected to be sidelined for at least four to six weeks following his knee surgery, and this leaves Arsenal with just one senior striker for Thursday night's Europa League tie versus Ostersund.

Danny Welbeck is likely to lead the line versus the Swedish outfit with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ineligible to feature in the competition due to Borussia Dortmund's involvement in the same.