Arsenal News: Wenger Purring at the Prospect of Playing Walcott, Sanchez, Welbeck and The Ox Together

Arsenal fans have been waiting for a while to see Alexis Sanchez, Danny Welbeck, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott unleashed at the Premier League and Champions League defences at the same time. With Walcott recuperating from a long-term knee injury it hasn't quite turned to reality yet, but that scary pace trio could finally play together in the same XI next weekend when Arsenal take on Burnley.

Arsene Wenger, whose successful sides in the late 1990s and early noughties always had pace in their side, admitted he is excited at the prospect of playing Walcott, an unused substitute in the 2-0 win over Sunderland, alongside Sanchez, who has made such a bright start at Arsenal, Welbeck and Oxlade-Chamberlain.

"I'm very happy because Theo doesn't look bothered about the injury that happened to him even though he has been out for 10 months," Wenger was quoted as saying by the club's official website. "I have to give him competition slowly in the next three or four weeks.

"His runs off the ball are fantastic and it always gives you hope that you can score goals. The pace we have in the side when he's back is very impressive because Welbeck, Alexis and Oxlade-Chamberlain are also very quick.

"Could the attacking pace frighten defences? Let's see. My imagination works like yours but I have to prove that they can work together on the pitch and that's what I'll try to do when everybody's back."

Wenger, though, remains cautious over playing Walcott too soon, with the manager still undecided on whether he will include the speedy England forward against Burnley, despite the club having a full week's rest heading into the game at the Emirates.

"I don't know if Theo will play against Burnley," added Wenger. "We dropped points at home unexpectedly against Hull and that¹s why we have to focus on winning the Burnley game before I can plan giving Theo some competition."

Wenger, however, praised Walcott's mental strength during his frustrating spell on the sidelines, with the 25-year-old set to complete ten months without action after that unfortunate injury in the FA Cup win over Tottenham in January.

"He had a very difficult time," said Wenger. "He's a very polite and social guy, but behind that, he's mentally strong as well.

"For what he has gone through in the last nine months, you gain even more respect for him, because he had some difficult times and always responded very positively.

"He's got a young baby, where they had some problems, but he has done extremely well."