Arsenal without eight regulars for Oxford test

Arsene Wenger will be without at least eight first-team regulars as Arsenal start the defence of the FA Cup against Third Division…

Arsene Wenger will be without at least eight first-team regulars as Arsenal start the defence of the FA Cup against Third Division Oxford tomorrow at Highbury.

Thierry Henry, who is nursing a slight hamstring injury, will be joined on the sidelines by Patrick Vieira, who is resting a groin problem.

Ashley Cole, Lauren and Sol Campbell will also be rested, while Ray Parlour (hamstring), Freddie Ljungberg (flu) and Pascal Cygan (calf) are still out injured.

Wenger must decide whether to also rest Gilberto Silva while Edu could return after a groin problem and Francis Jeffers, Matthew Upson, Kolo Toure and Giovanni van Bronckhorst are all set for starting roles.

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PROVISIONAL SQUAD: Seaman, Taylor, Luzhny, Upson, Keown, Stepanovs, Edu, Gilberto, Toure, van Bronckhorst, Sward, Pires, Wiltord, Bergkamp, Kanu, Jeffers.