Blow for Arsenal as Bendtner, Fabregas and van Persie set to miss season opener against Liverpool
Published 23:00 28/07/10 By Darren Lewis
Arsene Wenger has been dealt a pre-season blow as Nicklas Bendtner will miss the start of the new campaign.
The 22-year-old Denmark striker is still suffering from a persistent groin injury and is likely to be joined on the sidelines by Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie.
Both men played against each other in the World Cup Final and are not due back until August 5.
It means all three are set to miss Arsenal's blockbuster opener against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, August 15.
Wenger confirmed: "Bendtner will not be available for the start of the season.
"Fabregas and Van Persie are due to come back on August 5 and from then on we will see how much build-up work is needed physically and as well how they have recovered mentally from the World Cup.
"They might be short for the first game [of the season] but I don't know, that will depend on the fitness work they have done during the holiday."
The absence of Arsenal's top Gunners will be in keeping with Manchester United where boss Sir Alex Ferguson has already decreed his World Cup stars will be rested for the start of the new season.
The setback for Arsenal, however, will be tempered by the comfortable introduction for new signing Marouane Chamakh, who scored his first goal in English football in the club's 4-0 friendly win over SC Neusiedl on Tuesday.
There were also strikes for Theo Walcott, Carlos Vela and young forward Jay-Emmanuel Thomas.
Attacking midfielder Jack Wilshere could also be set for a bigger role in the first-team this season after impressing hugely during the club's pre-season camp out in Austria.
Johan Djourou suffered a hamstring injury in the win over Neusiedl while Tomas Rosicky missed the match with a groin problem.
But Wenger eased concerns over both players. He added: "Djourou has a small hamstring problem but it is not bad.
"Rosicky had a small, small alert. He was supposed to play in the first half. He could have played. I didn't want to take the gamble."
Meanwhile Wenger has dismissed Barcelona's protests over Arsenal's refusal to negotiate the transfer of Cesc Fabregas as 'only noise'.
Insisting he has learned to live with situation and that Arsenal fans should not be concerned, Wenger said: "It is only noise.
"In our job we have to deal with what we can master. What we cannot influence is not to worry about."
