Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny and centre back Johan Djourou are expected to be back for the Gunners this weekend for Sunday’s game against Liverpool.

The Poland International has finally recovered from the dislocated finger he suffered against Barcelona in the Champions League last month and the Switzerland International – initially ruled out for the rest of the season – will make his comeback after dislocating his shoulder against Manchester United in the F.A. Cup at Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, long-term absentee Thomas Vermaelen told Het Laatste Nieuws that he only had a small chance of playing again this season as he admitted that there is still a long way to go before he can finally return in the starting eleven.

On his recovery, Vermaelen said:

I can understand my manager when he says that my season is over – I have been out for seven months and I must fulfill a complete ‘pre-season’, so it’s logical that he won’t take risks.

Time is ticking away. I must first get fit again, then gain rhythm. So I’ve still a long way to go. I can kick a ball as hard as possible but that’s not my problem. I need to run without pain.

After surgery, you soon become impatient. I’m a player they have to slow down – that’s my problem. I felt a little pain but I had something in my head – ‘I’ll cope with it’. That’s wasn’t too smart, you can’t beat nature.

After a few weeks, I personally indicated that I had to slow down. It didn’t feel that comfortable, as it feels these days.

I always thought I would be out for six weeks [after the surgery]. That was what I was told. So I never could anticipate this long absence. Maybe I would have preferred that I knew from the start.