Seaman injury doubt for Gunners

David Seaman has presented Arsenal with yet another fitness worry ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup Final against Southampton.

The veteran goalkeeper, 39, has a neck injury and has had extensive heat treatment since Sunday’s 4-0 Barclaycard Premiership win at Sunderland.

He is reportedly hopeful of feeling comfortable enough to warrant inclusion in the the clash at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium where Arsenal defend the trophy they won with a 2-0 success against Chelsea a year ago.

But Arsenal’s build-up to the final is now looking the worst at the club since the 1969 League Cup Final against the then third division Swindon Town at Wembley when seven Gunners went into the match straight from their sickbeds having not trained all week because of flu.

Arsenal suffered a shock 3-1 defeat after extra time on a muddy pitch churned up by the Horse of the Year Show just two weeks earlier.

Now they are already without skipper Patrick Vieira due to a knee injury and Sol Campbell through suspension for the showdown with Saints.

And deposed champions Arsenal are still 4-1 on favourites with the bookmakers to retain the trophy even though there are still major doubts over the final participation of right-back Lauren (ankle), centre-half Pascal Cygan (calf) and another defender Oleg Luzhny (knee).

Martin Keown and Brazilian midfielder Edu have both announced themselves fit after other injury worries while manager Arsene Wenger insists Ray Parlour, who scored the opening goal in last year’s final win over Chelsea, will be ready to start despite an ankle problem which saw him limp off at half-time against Sunderland.

It has already been a difficult week for Seaman who was left out of the England squad to play South Africa, Serbia and Slovakia amid speculation that his international career is finally over after 75 caps.

In fact, England chief Sven-Goran Eriksson is waiting to learn the outcome of talks next week between Seaman, who wants to prolong his Arsenal career by an extra year, and Wenger who would, it is believed, like him to concentrate much of his time on coaching the other goalkeepers at Highbury.

Stuart Taylor, 22, is standing by to replace Seaman at Cardiff, having played against Saints in Arsenal’s 6-1 Premiership win at Highbury a week ago.

Seaman, who pulled out of a charity golf event on Monday to rest the injured neck which was troubling him slightly even before the Sunderland game, has played in 42 of Arsenal’s 58 games this season but has missed others with various knocks including a strained groin muscle, pulled hamstring and bruised hip.

He also had to pull out of the vital 2-2 Highbury draw with Manchester united last month with a high temperature and heavy cold just four days after making what is being commonly called the save of the season against Sheffield United in the FA Cup semi- final.