Vieira ready to face Wolves - Wenger

Patrick Vieira will start his first match in over two months tonight, with manager Arsene Wenger revealing the Arsenal captain is raring to go.

The Carling Cup fourth-round clash with Wolves at Highbury will provide the setting for Vieira’s eagerly-awaited comeback following a lengthy period in the treatment room, which the Frenchman described as a “nightmare”.

Vieira first picked up the thigh injury against Newcastle on September 26, but then aggravated it coming on as a substitute against Dynamo Kiev a month later, forcing the midfield lynchpin to put his return on ice.

But his time spent in rehabilitation in France – coupled with gruelling sessions with Arsenal’s fitness coach Tony Colbert – have paid dividends and, according to Wenger, Vieira is now ready to lead the Gunners once again.

“Patrick will play from the start against Wolves,” revealed the Arsenal manager.

“I am a little bit cautious, but he is always very impatient to start and at the moment he looks ready.

“How long he will last? I don’t know, maybe an hour.

“It is important to have Patrick back, especially as we have lost Ray Parlour - he could be out for two weeks.”

Wenger made full use of his squad against Rotherham in the previous round by taking the opportunity to rest some of his bigger names and he is ready to maintain that policy tonight.

“I will play the kids again – you will get a chance to see some of the youngsters against Wolves,” declared the Arsenal manager, who will have striker Sylvain Wiltord available after shaking off a groin problem.

“It is only fair that people know that – I don’t want to cheat the fans so that is why I am telling them in advance.

“I hope to use Michal Papadopulos at some point during the match, but we have got problems at centre-back because Martin Keown is suspended.

“I have not yet decided what to do about that.”