Cesc out for four months

Arsenal skipper sidelined with knee injury

Last updated: 23rd December 2008

Cesc out for four months

Fabregas: Injury blow

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Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas is set to be sidelined until April with a knee injury.

The Spaniard had to be substituted at half-time in Arsenal's 1-1 draw against Liverpool on Sunday following a challenge with Xabi Alonso.

The full extent of the damage has now been revealed, with Arsene Wenger confirming that he has a partial rupture of the medial knee ligament.

Fabregas had only recently returned to fitness following a problem with the same knee and he will now miss most of the rest of the season.

He will have to sit out a crucial period of the Premier League as well as Arsenal's UEFA Champions League tie against Roma.

Blow

Fabregas replaced William Gallas as Arsenal captain in November and Wenger admits it is a major blow to lose him.

"The news is not good because it is a partial rupture of the medial knee ligament that is taking us three to four months," Wenger told Sky Sports News.

"We count four. He will be working hard to return earlier but we count four months.

"We will miss him of course but we have to find a way to compensate for the fact that he will not be on the pitch.

"I am sure we can deal with it and when he comes back he can help us to get over the line in the final months."

Fabregas has visited a specialist in Spain, who has confirmed the verdict of Arsenal's club doctors that he will require a minimum of three months out of action.

On leaving the hospital, the midfielder said: "Now I am only thinking about my recuperation. This is my first big injury blow and it could have happened at any time."

Reinforcements

Wenger added that he had no complaints over Alonso's tackle, saying: "The challenge was fair and honest.

"It is the kind of thing that can happen and you have to accept. It was purely accidental."

Wenger accepts that he may now have to venture into the transfer market to bring in reinforcements.

He commented: "It is more likely yes, but we also have internal solutions. We are not desperate."

Asked about Zenit St Petersburg playmaker Andrei Arshavin, Wenger added: "At the moment nobody is going out and nobody is coming in."