Fabregas opts put off op action

zocoss SG

DESPAIR ... Cesc Fabregas

DESPAIR ... Cesc Fabregas

Arsenal’s skipper, 21, suffered medial ligament damage in a challenge with Xabi Alonso during Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool.

He is definitely out of the Champions League clash with Roma and a pal revealed: “He is bitterly upset. It could not have come at a worse time of the season for him or the club.”

The Spain star fears he will need surgery to repair the problem. He had a second scan on his damaged right knee last night, after an earlier examination revealed the severity of the injury.

The pal added: “He has been told he will not be available until the end of March, which means he will miss the next round of the Champions League and a number of crucial Premier League matches.

"He should know shortly whether or not he will need an operation but it’s not looking good.” Fabregas, who has been battling a knee problem for a month, was close to tears as he limped off at half-time at the Emirates.

He left the ground on crutches and admitted: “I have negative thoughts about the injury.”

Scania N113CRB l0v3r SG

Shyt man la Arsenal one more players injury and for Thomas Rosicky y wad injury he suffer? Y so long still havent come back?

AEW5001 SG

Gunners can get ready to kiss goodbye...

Scania N113CRB l0v3r SG

Gunners can get ready to kiss goodbye...

lolx out titles hope still gt little bit of chance unless ur beloved team lost or draw and say Ty to Everton fought hard with 10men Chelsea to a draw

Chris88110 SG

Ah well, i think its a 3 horse race from now on. You guys think the gunners may even clinch 4th spot? What happens if they don't?

zocoss SG

Still a 4 horse race... Should Gunners fall off, Villa will take-over in their place...

iceFatboy SG

it was a 50-50 ball so no malice on this incident.but it did make gunners more defensive thinking.. how will they cope now with their captain out and their most creative player out??

limpper SG

scali this yr villa & hull chase title leh?

reyes SG

that it gunners!there goes another season without trophy!!

omgukilledkenny SG

Arsene Wenger has been dealt a savage blow with the news that Cesc Fabregas will be out of action for up to four months.

Wenger's newly-crowned captain was forced off at half-time of Arsenal's 1-1 draw with Liverpool following a challenge with Xabi Alonso, but initial diagnoses suggested he could be back within a month.

However, Wenger confirmed at a Tuesday press conference that William Gallas’ successor as skipper is now unlikely to return until the end of April, the latest episode of a season which looks to be going from bad to worse for The Gunners.

“The news is not good,” said the Frenchman. “It’s a partial rupture of the medial ligament which will take three to four months of recovery time.

“How much is difficult to say but we will miss him of course. We need to find a way to compensate the fact that he will not be on the pitch and give everybody a bit more. Then when he comes back he can help us to get over the line.

“The challenge was fair, honest, no problem. It is the type of thing that you accept in the game that can happen. There was no intention to hurt, just purely accidental.”

With his side eight points adrift of leaders Liverpool with less than half the season gone, Fabregas’ absenteeism is sure to heighten the need for Wenger to strengthen when the transfer window doors swing open in January.

Airforceone SG

William Gallas take back his captaincy?

omgukilledkenny SG

Injured Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas has confirmed he will not be undergoing an operation on his damaged knee.

Fabregas travelled to Barcelona on Tuesday to consult specialist doctor Ramon Cugat about the problem he picked up during Sunday's Premier League draw with Liverpool when he was tackled by Xabi Alonso.

The injury is set to keep the Gunners' captain sidelined for around four months, but it will not require the Spain international to go under the knife.

"After consulting with the best doctor possible, we've decided not to operate. If it would have been necessary it would have been the first thing I would have done, but the doctor recommended to me not to do it because I'm young and the meniscus is not damaged," Fabregas was quoted as saying in Marca.

"Although we cannot be certain because the injury only happened a few days ago, but I will be out for more or less four months. My intention is to return as soon as possible to help my team-mates.

"I will endeavour to return as soon as possible to do what I like most, to play football."

Fabregas did not come out for the second half of Sunday's 1-1 draw against Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium after sustaining the knee problem following a tackle by his Spanish Euro 2008-winning team-mate Alonso.

The 21-year-old Fabregas said of Alonso: "He was very concerned about me. He called me after the game, he has been sending messages and also called me before I saw the doctor. These are things that happen, it's football and Xabi is a great friend of mine.

"It's the first serious injury that I've had in my career. Everybody gets injured and now it's my turn. I will have to wait, undertake my recovery and return as soon as possible."