- Arsenal have been dealt a real blow ahead of Sunday’s game with Manchester United with the news that Mikel Arteta’s calf injury has ruled him out of the game.
Arsene Wenger confirmed the Spaniard had ‘no chance’ of taking part and that next weekend’s FA Cup game against Aston Villa was a more realistic target.
The Gunners face a shortage of bodies in midfield with Arteta joining absentees Jack Wilshere, Francis Coquelin and Abou Diaby, leaving the manager a straight choice between Yossi Benayoun and Tomas Rosicky, with the Czech international likely to get the nod.
There was further bad news as Wenger revealed Thierry Henry would face a fitness test on Saturday, while Thomas Vermaelen’s hopes of making a comeback seem slight.
“At the moment I don’t think he will make it for Sunday,” he said. “Let’s hope we have a good surprise. Let’s see how he develops. There may be a test. At the moment we just go day by day but he looks short.”
- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is convinced they can upset Manchester United on Sunday.
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has tended to pack his midfield for games at the Emirates, but Wenger believes his team have what it takes to win at the weekend.
"They sometimes have a very compact midfield to kill our passing game and get us on the counter-attack. They do that very well," he said.
"I believe that sometimes it works for them, although last year we beat them 1-0 in a convincing way. It depends on how well we play on the day, how well we pass the ball through their lines, no matter how many are in there."
- Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger insists they remain title contenders.
The Gunners host Manchester United this Sunday.
And Wenger said: "It's still the same.
"It is not the only game anymore because you have Chelsea and Man City coming in, with Liverpool still there. But it is a game that is watched all over the world.
"We do (lift ourselves), we think we are on a similar level. I still think that when we have everybody available we are a strong force in this league. That's why it is important that we fight very hard not to drop points."
- Gervinho has likened Ivory Coast to his club, Arsenal - as they both haven't won a trophy in years!
Gervinho is away with Ivory Coast for the African Nations Cup.
"The Ivory Coast are like Arsenal," he said. "The Ivory Coast have not won a trophy since 1992. We’ve got good players and every time we approach a tournament, we say we are going to win it and then we miss out. This year I would really like to win with both Arsenal and Ivory Coast. I am going to win a trophy this year."
- Fulham are eyeing Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky.
Fulham have lined up a £3million bid for Arsenal’s Rosicky after being told by West Brom that Peter Odemwingie is not for sale.
Cottagers boss Martin Jol is keen to add creativity to his midfield this month.
- Zenit St Petersburg are launching a bid to re-sign Arsenal flop Andrey Arshavin.
The club who sold him to Arsenal three years ago for £15m are now ready to pay £8m to take him back. Arshavin has already told pals he is going back to Russia at the end of the season.
He has just one more full year left on his contract and boss Arsene Wenger has made no attempt to extend it.
Unlike in the Premier League, Arshavin, 30, remains idolised in his homeland and this month was named Russia’s athlete of the year for the fourth time in a row.
But the departure of the playmaker will be no great loss to the Gunners.
- Alex Hleb admits he's blown his career since leaving Arsenal for Barcelona.
After joining Barca the 30-year-old failed to claim a regular starting place at the Catalan club and was shipped out on loan three times, once to Birmingham in the 2010-11 season.
"I'm sad to have lost the best years of my career, something I only blame myself for," he said.
"Over time I understood that the force of Barca was the ability of players to leave their ego aside and work for the good of the group."
- Arsenal defender Sead Hajrovic is on his way to Barnet.
The 18-year-old defender has been a regular for the Reserves over the past two seasons, amassing 23 appearances in total, including eight so far this term, since joining the Club from Grasshoppers Zurich in 2009.
Hajrovic will today join Barnet on loan until February 18, 2012.
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