Kanu can stay - for now

Arsenal have won their battle with the Nigerian football federation for Kanu to solve their forward injury crisis in Sunday’s Premiership game at Aston Villa, Arsene Wenger has revealed.

Nigeria coach Christian Chukwu had previously insisted Kanu would have to conform to FIFA regulations on the release of players ahead of the African Nations’ Cup tournament.

However, Kanu made a personal appeal to the coach this week to delay his release until after Sunday’s game at Villa Park and it would seem as though this has paid off.

Wenger told the club’s website, www.arsenal.com: “Kanu will be available for the Villa game. He will go at the earliest on Monday and at the latest on Wednesday.

“The other options up front are reduced to a strict minimum as we have Jeremie Aliadiere, Sylvain Wiltord and Dennis Bergkamp still out.

“Dennis and Sylvain are not far away. They have a small chance to be competitive for the FA Cup tie on January 24 but not the Carling Cup tie before then.”

Wenger believes there is still a “small chance” that Kanu could be able to face Middlesbrough next Tuesday night in the first leg of his side’s Carling Cup semi-final.

However, either way, he will at least be delighted to have the striker available this weekend as injury has already ruled out Bergkamp, Wiltord and Aliadiere.

At Villa Park, Kanu should therefore partner Thierry Henry, ruling out the need for Wenger to turn to youngster David Bentley or push either Robert Pires or Fredrik Ljungberg up front.

The African Nations’ Cup tournament starts on January 24, with FIFA allowing countries to call up players a full 14 days ahead of that date and, if Nigeria had stuck to their original plans, Kanu could have been suspended for the Villa fixture.