Hamstrung Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas may miss Manchester United clash
Published 19:37 23/08/09 By By John Cross
Arsene Wenger fears Cesc Fabregas will miss next Saturday's trip to Manchester United.
Fabregas has been troubled with a hamstring problem before the start of the season and could now be set for a three-week lay-off which would be a major blow to the Gunners.
Spanish midfielder Fabregas, 22, limped off at half-time against Portsmouth, was in agony after the game with the problem and will have further tests today after being given a day off from training yesterday.
Arsenal are hopeful that it is not a tear but Fabregas fears it will need a rest and that could rule him out until after the international break and until mid-September.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger said: “We will know more in the next 48 hours. If it is a strain then he may be short for the Celtic game on Wednesday.
“But if it is a pull then he could miss the Manchester United game and be out for three weeks.”
The hamstring problem first flared up before Arsenal’s first game of the season at Everton and he was a doubt for that game.
But Wenger has risked his influential captain in every game so far and could now be left to pay a heavy price with little cover for his playmaker after the hamstring “pinged“ during the first half against Portsmouth.
Fabregas played until late June with Spain in the Confederations Cup in South Africa but cut short his holiday to join up with Arsenal’s pre-season training camp in Austria.
But Wenger - who criticised Fabio Capello and Stuart Pearce for calling up Theo Walcott for the Under-21s tournament - may now regret Fabregas not taking his full holiday and summer break.
