Vieira could be out for the season

Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira fears his season could already be over due to injury – just when the Gunners need him most to keep their title bid on track.

Vieira was today awaiting the results of a scan on his injured knee, having aggravated an existing problem during last night’s 2-2 draw against Manchester United.

The immediate post-match focus was on Sol Campbell’s red card, given that the defender potentially now misses the final three league games, as well as the FA Cup final.

But while Arsenal can ill afford to be without Campbell, with either Oleg Luzhny or Pascal Cygan having to replace him if an appeal fails, Vieira is effectively irreplaceable in both influence and leadership.

The Arsenal skipper nevertheless revealed: “I will definitely not be able to play on Saturday and I am not optimistic for the rest of the season. I can just hope for the best.

“I hurt the knee again when I landed heavily after a challenge and what I need is a rest to cure the problem.”

Even in a best-case scenario, with Vieira missing Saturday’s trip to Middlesbrough and probably next week’s visit to Bolton as well, the outlook is relatively bleak.

After all, while Campbell could miss home games against Leeds and Southampton, as well as the final day visit to relegated Sunderland, it is the next two matches which are likely to shape the destiny of the title race.

They are, realistically, the hardest two games which Arsenal have left and the Gunners’ priority is to keep the title alive until the final match, when Alex Ferguson’s side face their toughest remaining hurdle at Everton.

Wenger, however, knows that forcing Vieira back into action at Bolton may wreck the rest of the season for the Frenchman, including the FA Cup final.

The Arsenal boss admitted: “I don’t know how long Patrick will be out for. I have left him in and out so far and the only thing I can say is that isn’t the solution as it hasn’t got rid of the pain.

“So we have to rest him until he’s completely free of pain. It means that we have to make a real decision now.

“It’s not an operation, it’s an inflammation from a kick, and bone bruising can last anything from two weeks to three months.

“He’s had it since we played Roma in mid-March and I don’t know how long it will last.

“It’s never a good time to lose Patrick but we have to be realistic. If he cannot really play, it’s unfair to put him on the pitch and tell him to play.”

Vieira’s fellow professionals may, incredibly, have overlooked him from the six-man shortlist for their player of the year award, with five strikers as well as Paul Scholes being chosen.

However, Vieira’s team-mates know just how vital he is to their cause. Along with Campbell and Thierry Henry, there is simply no natural replacement for him in the squad.

Arsenal will turn to either Edu, Giovanni van Bronckhorst or Ray Parlour, who missed yesterday’s game with a hamstring injury, alongside Gilberto Silva in central midfield, while Robert Pires offers a bold attacking option.

However, while United secured a draw without even needing to call upon David Beckham, who remained on the bench, the Gunners cannot realistically afford the same luxury of being without Campbell or Vieira.