18.01.2010
Injuries take shine off Arsenal's title bid
Arsenal's Dutch forward Robin van Persie in action during a Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates stadium, north London in 2009.
Arsenal's bid to win the English Premier League title threatens to be derailed by a lengthening injury list with manager Arsene Wenger currently without nine first-team players.
Striker Robin van Persie (ankle) and Johan Djourou (knee) seem set to miss the rest of the season but there are a growing number of players at the Emirates who have shorter-term injury problems.
The latest feature midfielders Aaron Ramsey (thigh) and Samir Nasri (hamstring), who were both injured in training before Sunday's 2-0 victory away to Bolton - a win that moved the Gunners to within three points of leaders and London rivals Chelsea.
Both Ramsey and Nasri are set to be out for three weeks each and will be among the Arsenal players missing from Wednesday's hoem match against Bolton, where a victory would see the Gunners go top of the table on goal difference.
"Nasri's injury is what I call a '21-day injury'. It is a clean hamstring (injury)," said Wenger.
"Ramsey's (absence) will be the same but it is not a hamstring injury, it is a thigh."
Arsenal are optimistic though that left back Kieran Gibbs (foot) and midfielder Jack Wilshere (hamstring) during a tough run of matches that see Wenger's men up against Aston Villa, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool in successive fixtures.
"We have a little chance to get Denilson (abdomen) and Theo Walcott (rib) back for Wednesday and to get Nicklas Bendtner (recovering from hernia surgery) back in 10 days maybe," Wenger said.
Source: © 2010 AFP - Carl de Souza
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England / Premier League 2009-10 .jpg)
