Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas will only be sidelined for a fortnight, according to Gunners boss Arsene Wenger.
The Spain international injured his hamstring during Tuesday's disappointing Champions League defeat to Braga.
However, Emmanuel Eboue, who was stretchered off with a knee ligament problem in the same game, could be sidleined until Christmas.
"Eboue has a medial knee ligament strain," Wenger told the club's official website."It can be four weeks, can be six weeks or can be eight weeks. But I think it will be four weeks minimum.
"Fabregas will be assessed today with a scan. After that we can tell you how long he will be out, but I count two weeks.
"It is a big blow because it will question how cautious we have to be in the future with him. Cesc has played 50 games a year since a young age. We may have to be more cautious with him, especially in the next two months.
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"We have a lot of bumps and bruises but everyone else should be available this weekend.
"(Manuel) Almunia should be capable to play but I will see how he reacts. (Aaron) Ramsey needs competitive games. He played 45 minutes and he did well. We need to get him slowly and progressively into competition mode."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Two Manchester United legends returned to Old Trafford on Monday to see the Red Devils beat Arsenal 1-0 thanks to a Ji Sung Park goal and the result took them back to the top of the Premier League table. Former super sub Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was presented with a memory of his Manchester United career in a photo compilation by Sir Alex Ferguson. Also in the Old Trafford crowd on Monday night was David Beckham, who is still probably reeling from England’s failed bid to host the 2018 World Cup. Here is Goldenballs sporting a new haircut, but what’s caught his mate’s attention on the pitch and is causing Becks to have a chuckle?
Leave your suggestions below…
This week you can win a copy of FIFA 11!
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The January transfer window always marks a period of comings and goings for most clubs. This is especially true for Celtic; Neil Lennon is still building a team that he feels can compete for titles both at home and abroad. Lennon who was appointed full time manager in early June is approaching the 6 month mark and has learned during his spell at the Glasgow club that there is room for improvement, thus signaling a busy January for the Northern Irish man.
Robbie Keane has already enjoyed a short spell at Celtic earlier on this year. Keane’s situation at White Hart Lane has deteriorated since the Irish man returned from his fruitful stay at the Glasgow club, and the striker could maybe find himself back the club come January.
There’s no secret Celtic still haven’t found a suitable replacement to the departed Artur Boruc. With Shay Given not enjoying his time at Manchester City could the Republic of Ireland International be the man to fill the void? It is believed that Given, who once was on the books of Celtic would be open to the idea of a return to the club.
Another Irish player has recently been linked with a move north of the border, and that’s Aston Villa’s out of favour midfielder Stephen Ireland. The Scottish club are rumoured to be keen on signing the Irish international on loan for the rest of the season, as they look to challenge Rangers for the Scottish Premier League title.
Steven Taylor is another potential recruit come January as Celtic look to strengthen their inconsistent defence. Celtic have once before tried to sign Taylor on loan and The Daily Mail says a second attempt to take Newcastle contract rebel Taylor on loan is still an option as Neil Lennon seeks to address major concerns over his central defence.
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Celtic have also been heavily linked with Nottingham Forest’s Kelvin Wilson since the summer and it would not surprise me if Wilson is unveiled to the Celtic faithful when the transfer window opens. It was reported that The Hoops will make a renewed attempt to sign Wilson in January after seeing two bids rejected in the summer. Wilson, 25, has rejected a new contract offer at Forest and is a free agent at the end of the season.
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The end of the year is fast approaching and that can only mean one thing: it’s awards season here at FFC. So who are the players that stood out for you in 2010? Arsenal have enjoyed a mixed year. It’s well documented that, much to the dismay of fans, the Gunners failed to pick up any silverware last season. By now, we’re all sick of hearing about the Gunners’ trophy-void cabinet . The Arsenal faithful will be hoping that the 2010/11 season is somewhat more bountiful for their side. Unfortunately it seems that the Gunners have yet to overcome their tendency to mix the sublime with the lackadaisical. This week works well as a microcosm of their season. The high of beating Chelsea was tempered with a 2-2 draw against Wigan, a game they should have won. Inconsistency does not breed success. Despite these mixed fortunes, there have been a number of standout performers this season. Without further ado, let’s start dishing out the awards.
Arsenal’s player of 2010
A good number of players have caught the eye for Arsenal this season. Captain Cesc Fabregas has been as vital as ever, even though his performances have been affected by a niggling hamstring injury and a lack of match fitness. Jack Wilshere has been the Gunners’ best young player of 2010, making himself a regular in the first team at just 18-years-old. However, there is one player whose rise to prominence this season makes him a sure thing for this award. Samir Nasri is arguably not just Arsenal’s player of the season, but also the best player in the Premier League so far.
The 23 year-old has reacted to his exclusion from France’s World Cup 2010 squad in the best manner possible – with magnificent performances on the pitch. Indeed, on the 13th December of this year he was voted the French Player of the Year – quite an achievement for a player who didn’t have a spot on the tour bus over the summer. He’s fleet-footed, difficult to dispossess and has an eye for goal. He’s already notched 12 goals this season and is the Gunners’ top scorer. If Arsenal are to garner any silverware this year, they’ll need Samir Nasri to keep firing on all cylinders.
Most improved of 2010
Given that Samir Nasri is already Arsenal’s Player of the Year, we’ll look elsewhere for the most improved player. Almost nine months ago Chris Waddle accused Theo Walcott of having no football brain. With his performance against Chelsea on Monday Theo showed his critics just how far he has come. He provided an important lay-off to Cesc Fabregas for Arsenal’s second goal and his run and finish for the Gunners’ third had shades of Thierry Henry about it. This season Theo has shown the fans that there’s more to his game than speed and stamina, He works hard, takes up good positions and is more willing than ever to take his man on. This change in his mind-set has seen Walcott grab 9 goals already this season despite spending a good deal of time sidelined by an injury. If he keeps developing at this rate Arsenal will have quite a player on their hands.
Most disappointing of 2010
This decision is the most difficult of the lot. Who is the Arsenal player who offered up the most disappointment this season? Is it Lukasz Fabianski, Arsenal’s goalkeeper incumbent whose high-profile mistakes have cost the Gunners games? Is it Gael Clichy who promised Arsenal so much as a youngster, but has developed a bad positional sense and a certain tendency to switch off midgame? Disappointing for sure, but the biggest Arsenal letdown of 2010, has to be Nicklas Bendtner. This decision is mainly spurred by his arrogant claims earlier this season that he would quit the club if he didn’t take a more active role in the Gunners’ first team plans. Bendtner is a decent player who is always capable of getting goals, but he’s also slow and cumbersome at times. Nobody rates Bendtner as highly as he rates himself and until he starts demonstrating that he’s worthy of starting ahead of the likes of Marouane Chamakh and Robin Van Persie, he should learn to keep his mouth shut.
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Do you agree with my choices? Who has impressed you most this season? Please feel free to leave a comment, or to follow me on Twitter @ThePerfectPass.
Sunderland striker David Healy has joined Scottish Premier League club Rangers until the end of the season.
The 31-year-old has 84 caps for Northern Ireland to his name after beginning his career at Manchester United, and has enjoyed successful spells at Preston North End and Leeds.
His signature is a valuable one for Rangers boss Walter Smith, as the cash-strapped Glasgow club looks to bolster their attacking stocks following the departure of prolific striker Kenny Miller to Turkish side Bursaspor.
Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist told BBC Scotland that Healy was in the Hampden dressing rooms with the squad before their 2-1 win over Motherwell in the Scottish League Cup semi-final on Sunday.
Healy joins the club on a free transfer, with a contract until the end of the season.
“I believe the medical has gone fine and he will be with us tomorrow,” McCoist said before the game.
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Healy had been used sparingly at Sunderland this season, making just three substitute appearances in the English Premier League. He scored two goals in eight games while on loan at Championship outfit Doncaster Rovers earlier in the season.
Harry Redknapp admits he would love to sign David Beckham, but his only focus is on keeping Tottenham’s Champions League dream alive.
Redknapp’s side – which takes on Bolton on Saturday – have won just one of their last four English Premier League games to slip outside the top four as Chelsea have enjoyed a resurgence in form.
LA Galaxy midfielder Beckham has been training with Spurs while he waits for the start of the MLS season, having seen Tottenham’s loan bid fall flat.
The former England captain’s spell at Spurs Lodge is set to end on Wednesday, and Redknapp says he would consider signing the 35-year-old in November after the end of Major League Soccer season.
“I have spoken to him (about rejoining Tottenham in November),” Redknapp said. “It’s not an impossibility.”
“We’ll see what happens. Who knows what the future will bring. He can still play at the top level. There is no doubt about it in my mind. We would be interested for sure.”
“He has been great – not only is he a fantastic footballer but having had him around the place, he’s a great lad. Absolutely brilliant.”
“People look at him and the way he conducts himself and the way he gets on with his training. He is a great trainer and you’d love to have him around.”
Bolton beat Spurs 4-2 at the Reebok Stadium in November and Redknapp has hailed Trotters manager Owen Coyle, claiming the Scot is striking a blow for British coaches in a league which has faced accusations of being seduced by foreign managers.
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He said: “Owen has done a fantastic job. They beat us quite comfortably up at Bolton so we know it will be a tough game.”
“Given the opportunity, of course British managers are as good as foreign ones. You just need the chance to prove it. They need a club to give them a job and if you give them the job they will do the job.”
But Redknapp will have to do without midfield duo Gareth Bale and Luka Modric, who are recovering after a back injury and appendix surgery respectively.
We almost take it for granted these days that Arsenal’s youngsters are going to be something a little special. Every year, Arsene Wenger seems to blood another product of his acclaimed academy into the first team set up for the Carling Cup fixtures. But are we too quick to announce these young guns as the next best thing? Are they ever really good enough to play a Premier League title pursuing team?
The logic to my argument is that I can’t recall too many players who have failed to make the grade at Arsenal, yet gone on to achieve Premier League status at another club. David Bentley and Steve Sidwell are currently in that mould, but how many others, really? Compare it to that of Manchester United. The Old Trafford club churn out youngsters for fun who aren’t deemed good enough for Sir Alex Ferguson but seem to go on and do a job for other Premier League clubs. Ryan Shawcross, Keiran Richardson, David Jones – I could go on. Even their on-loan stars who seem to be built for the English top flight, whether that be at United or not. Is this really the sign of a good academy system?
The counter argument is to obviously look at the amount of players Wenger plays in his first team who are actually good enough to stay there. Jack Wilshere is a perfect example. Cesc Fabregas signed when he was 16, so he could be included in that, too. They’re obviously world-class players, which is a result of the way things are done at the Emirates. But nobody seems to remember the ones that got away. What happened to Arturo Lupoli? How about Jeremie Aliadiere? Neither of these are playing top flight football anywhere at the moment. Again, the simple argument is that Arsenal now have better options coming through. Aaron Ramsey would arguably be playing regularly for the Gunners now if it wasn’t for his horrific injury and there is a lot of talk about Henri Lansbury who is earning quite a reputation on loan at Norwich.
I am taking nothing away from the Arsenal’s youth system. They produce quality players, some of which make the next step up. But my point is that we constantly talk up the prospects who we very irregularly see at the Emirates but then let the majority of the rest slip off the radar without another word. I used Manchester United’s system merely as a comparison, but it is worthy of some thought. O’Shea, Fletcher, Gibson, Brown and Evans have all come through, but we never talk about United’s youth system because these players aren’t as aesthetically pleasing as your Wilshere’s or Fabregas’s. And then there are the likes of Phil Bardsley and Fraizer Campbell. Maybe not good enough for Old Trafford, but they certainly do enough to warrant being a Premier League player.
It would be good to see some of the youngsters who managed to get Arsenal through the earlier stages of the competition, be given at least a place in the squad for the forthcoming Carling Cup final, but given the importance of securing the trophy, we all know it won’t happen.
But next season, if Arsenal set out in the third-round to defend their first trophy in six years, take a look at the starting eleven. How many are really going to be around the Premier League in another three or four years time? Are they really the best at bringing through the next group of stars or should we be praising the work of other clubs, like Manchester United?
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Birmingham go into the clash with injury doubts at the back, with Scott Dann out until the end of the season, while Liam Ridgewell and Martin Jiranek remain doubtful. Alex McLeish’s side are in some fine fettle though and until their most recent defeat against Newcastle In their last game, they were on a 5-match unbeaten run.
Sheffield Wednesday on the other hand have been extremely disappointing this season. The club currently lie in 16th place in League One, just 5 points off the relegation zone. Despite significant investment over the summer and hopes of an immediate return to the Championship, the side have failed to gel and it eventually cost Alan Irvine his job, with Gary Megson brought in as his replacement.
Despite having a host of familiar names in their line-up, such as Gary Teale, Clinton Morrison and Nicky Weaver, they are currently winless in 9 games. At the back they’re prone to schoolboy errors and they look shaky when defending against set pieces. Although Birmingham are hardly known for being clinical in front of goal, Sheffield Wednesday’s severe lack of confidence, particularly at the back, should see that this fixture remains a one-sided affair and I’m backing the Premier League side to utilise their home advantage and triumph comfortably.
Prediction: 3-0 – get odds of 12/1 with bet365!
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Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal has urged his players not to lose focus as they attempt to cast Inter Milan out of the Champions League.Bayern, who fell 1-0 to Inter at the final hurdle of last season’s tournament, are within 90 minutes of exacting revenge on the European champions when they visit Munich on Tuesday.Bayern hold a 1-0 aggregate going into the home leg of their last-16 tie after Mario Gomez stunned Inter with an injury-time winner at the San Siro a fortnight ago.But Bayern’s preparations have been interrupted by the news van Gaal would have his contract cut short at the end of the season, ending his two-year tenure at the German powerhouse.The Dutch manager, who confirmed he will depart Bayern no matter the outcome of their Champions League campaign, pleaded with his squad to forget his squabble with the club’s owners and concentrate on reaching the quarter-finals.”A professional football player must focus always on the next game, which is not that easy, because everything affects players’ concentration,” van Gaal said.”We had a very good game against Hamburg (winning 6-0 on Saturday) and it was a very important victory, so we have renewed confidence in ourselves.””But Inter are very strong opponents; we have to be very careful.””At the San Siro, Inter played the same way as they did in last year’s final. From my point of view, we were the better side in both games; one we won, one we lost.””Football is always about who scores the goals. My players have to be very focused, especially during opening minutes, so they can size up Inter’s tactics and respond.””Bayern are a great club, perhaps the best organised club in the world. Any coach would love to work here, and since my relationship with my players has been very good, I am a little sad that I will be leaving in the summer.””Even if we win the Champions League, nothing will change; we will go our separate ways because (my and the board’s) philosophies are very different.””But we cannot think about the past now. We must focus on the future and not forget that Bayern, the club and its fans, are the most important thing.”
After a week of international football it is a return to Premier League action and the subsequent battles at the top and bottom of the table. The pick of the fixtures is Upton Park this weekend with both sides desperate for the points for so many different reasons.
In the papers this morning there have been a mixed bag of stories that includes Dalglish unfazed by Carroll’s drinking; Paul Jewell concedes the sale of Connor Wickham, while Gerard Houllier believes he has the full backing of Randy Lerner.
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Bierhoff: England team worst ever – Daily Telegraph
Jewell: Connor is a goner – Sun
Bolton resigned to selling star Cahill – Mirror
Dalglish unfazed by Carroll and alcohol – Guardian
Liverpool go toe to toe to sign Shakhtar Donetsk’s Willian – Daily Mail
Rooney: opposition frightened of Old Trafford – Daily Telegraph
Houllier insists he has Lerner’s backing – Guardian
Grant says refs have cost West Ham 10 points – Guardian
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Man Utd close on £25m winger Ash – Sun
Fabregas warns Arsenal team-mate Wilshere over dangers of burn-out – Daily Mail