Arsene Wenger was forced to defend Arsenal’s medical staff yesterday after England duo Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain joined the club’s growing injury list.

The Gunners were left counting the cost of Tuesday night’s 3-0 Capital One Cup fourth-round loss at Sheffield Wednesday.

Oxlade-Chamberlain was forced off after just five minutes because of a hamstring complaint before Walcott, who came on in his place, also had to be substituted on 19 minutes with a calf injury.

The full extent of both problems is yet to be determined but Wenger confirmed neither man would feature until after the international break.

Arsenal, who are second in the Premier League, play at Swansea today before travelling to Bayern Munich in the Champions League and then hosting north London rivals Tottenham.

The Gunners are now missing two more key men for a crucial run of matches, with midfielder Aaron Ramsey and captain Mikel Arteta also sidelined as are England duo Jack Wilshere and Danny Welbeck.

Wenger, however, defended the club’s training methods following criticism from Dutch fitness coach Raymond Verheijen, who also worked with Wales.

“This guy looks like he knows absolutely everything. I am amazed that he knows more than all our physios and all our doctors,” said Wenger.

“I trust my medical staff to do well and my coaching staff to do the fitness planning very well.

“I can only invite you one day to see what work is done behind (the scenes). We have some players who are more injury-prone than others but we are very well organised on that front.

“We have to analyse every single case and every single exercise but also I think you have to not over-analyse when players are injured.

“When a player is injured, they are injured, this has always happened.

“We have not had too many muscular injuries but it is post-international games we get all these injuries and is it linked with that? I don’t know. What I’m focused on tomorrow is to continue our run [in the Premier League].”

But the Frenchman feels he has more than enough cover for the next few weeks.

“It is always disappointing to lose players but we are equipped, first of all, with the quality of our squad and we are equipped mentally as well ourselves to deal with anything,” said Wenger, who expects Oxlade-Chamberlain to be out for “20 days,” with Walcott “a fraction longer.”