Van Persie blow adds to gloom at Emirates

ARSENAL’S hopes of repeating their Champions League upset against Barcelona have been hit by the loss of Robin van Persie to a knee injury.

Van Persie has been ruled out for at least three weeks, preventing him from playing in next Tuesday’s last-16 second leg showdown at the Nou Camp.

However, his loss has been slightly tempered by a positive update on captain Cesc Fabregas, who could be fit to face the Spanish champions.

“Unfortunately, we had bad news on the scan and Robin will be out for the next three weeks for sure,” Wenger confirmed yesterday. “It could be longer. The shortest delay we can imagine is three weeks, so he is definitely out for Barcelona. Cesc is looking possible [for that game]. He is making quick and good progress. It is possible.”

The in-form Holland striker sustained the injury in the act of scoring Arsenal’s equaliser during Sunday’s 2-1 Carling Cup final defeat by Birmingham. Not only has the result enhanced doubts over their temperament as they seek to lift their first trophy since 2005, but they have also lost Van Persie for a critical stage of the season.

Furthermore, what impact the blunder between Laurent Koscielny and Wojciech Szczesny that gifted Birmingham their late winner has had on the duo’s confidence has yet to be discovered.

Arsenal’s squad face a real test of character as they attempt to rally themselves from a hugely dispiriting loss. The manner of their response in tonight’s FA Cup fifth round replay against Leyton Orient at the Emirates Stadium will be scrutinised closely. With matches continuing to arrive at a frantic rate, Wenger will freshen up his team, his hand partly forced by injuries to two further players.

Alex Song incurred a knee problem against Birmingham and will sit out the Orient game, but should return for Barcelona. Koscielny is nursing a minor hamstring problem and will be rested for the replay.

Manuel Almunia will start in goal, with Szczesny on the bench, and midfielder Abou Diaby is expected to feature. Theo Walcott, who had already been ruled out against Barcelona, remains a fortnight away from recovering from his sprained ankle.

“He is out. We said from the day he got the injury against Stoke you could count three weeks,” said Wenger.

Leyton Orient’s midfielder Jimmy Smith is hoping to prove a point to those who lost confidence in him at Chelsea by scoring against Arsenal tonight.

Smith joined Chelsea aged nine and went on to spend 13 years at the club before he was shown the door in 2009 after realising that he was fighting a losing battle to beat the likes of Frank Lampard and Michael Essien to a first-team place.

“Leaving Chelsea was heart-breaking,” he said. “I was there for a long time but I looked at myself at the time and I felt like I needed to move on and think about myself. I wanted to be playing every week. I didn’t just want to be a number. That’s why I decided to leave.

“Moving has made me a better person and footballer. I feel like I needed to take a step back and hopefully I will end up taking two steps forward. I know I can. The Arsenal match is a chance for me to show that I can cut it at the top level. Everyone wants to prove themselves to a lot of people and I’m no different.

“I’ll be playing against Arsenal, who are one of the best teams in the world, and I want to go out there and do the best I can.”

Smith hopes the Carling Cup defeat for Arsenal will have dented the opposition’s spirits.

“Hopefully it will have knocked their confidence, but we all know that there will be 11 internationals out there for them and it will be a great test for us,” he said. “Everyone thought that they were going to win the cup but the underdogs won so hopefully it will be the same.”