Alex Song SKIPPED West Ham's Dubai trip to be fit for Arsenal clash

ALEX SONG skipped West Ham's trip to Dubai in an effort to ensure he could start against Arsenal.

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Alex Song (right) stayed behind to work on his fitness

Song, who is on a season-long loan with the Hammers, is set to face his old club Arsenal on Saturday (3pm).

The 27-year-old, who has been hampered with a knee injury was a substitute for the 1-0 defeat against Chelsea.

Song stayed at home to train with the Under-21s while Sam Allardyce put his players through their paces during a warm-weather training session in Dubai.

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Yes, I think it was really good for me to work on my fitness and stay here to work

Alex Song

"Yes, I think it was really good for me to work on my fitness and stay here to work. I feel I needed to work because I didn't have a proper pre-season," Song told the club's official website.

"When I was playing, I was feeling a little tightness in my muscles and that's why I asked the gaffer if I could stay here and work a little bit harder before they come back.

"I need to come back at the top of my form. I have trained hard, so I'm very happy because the way we have trained here with the Under-21s, they are doing very well. I have worked very hard to come back to my level."

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