Vermaelen suffers injury setback
The Belgium international has not played since picking up the injury during his country’s Euro 2012 qualifier against Turkey in September.
Manager Arsene Wenger had expected to have the 25-year-old back within the next week of suffering the injury, but his three-month wait will now extend to at least four as Sebastien Squillaci continues to deputise.
Wenger said: “Vermaelen is in a (protective) boot. We want him back and I hope he will be back soon, but not before January.”
Meanwhile, Bacary Sagna feels Arsenal have to win the ‘big’ Premier League games if they are to end the season with silverware, starting with Manchester United next Monday.
The Gunners will travel to Old Trafford without a win over one of their recent title rivals, Man United and Chelsea, since November 2008 when they beat Chelsea 2-1 at Stamford Bridge thanks to a brace from Robin van Persie.
Although losing to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in early October, the team’s retort was a convincing 3-0 win at Manchester City, and Sagna knows Arsenal, who went top after a 2-1 win over Fulham on Saturday, must start rising to the big occasion if they are to remain in title contention.
“If we want to be successful at the end of the season and if we want to be competitive we have to win these big games,” said Sagna.
“We (lost) the first one at Chelsea and we don’t (want) to drop any more points because we dropped so many at home.
“We just want to play our game and to win away. (The title race) will not be over at the end of December (but) it will show the way to go and will give even more power to the team.
“We are doing quite well at the moment and we have to keep looking forward because some big games are coming and we want to win them.”
* WORLD Cup final referee Howard Webb will officiate Manchester United’s crunch league clash with Arsenal at Old Trafford next Monday.
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