Edu injury adds to Wenger's woes

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has lost Edu to injury – adding to the unavailability through suspension of Dennis Bergkamp and Jose Antonio Reyes.

Reyes received a three-match suspension yesterday when the Football Association found him guilty of slapping Sheffield United midfielder Andy Liddell on the face during their FA Cup fifth-round draw at Highbury last week.

Bergkamp will miss the same three games following his red card for shoving the Blades’ Danny Cullip, after Arsenal failed in their appeal to overturn the dismissal.

Wenger, preparing to travel to Southampton in the Barclays Premiership on Saturday, has been further handicapped for next Tuesday’s replay at Bramall Lane after Edu aggravated his hamstring injury in the Champions League match at Bayern Munich on Tuesday.

The midfielder will undergo a scan to determine how long he will be out.

Wenger said: “Edu is out for Southampton and Sheffield United with a recurrence of his hamstring injury. He will have a scan, and we’ll see more clearly what damage has been done.

“The length of his absence will be decided by whether it is a tear or not. If it is not a tear then he has a chance for the return leg (against Bayern).”

Saints goalkeeper Paul Smith goes into the Gunners clash with confidence after keeping a clean sheet against West Brom in midweek and believes his team-mates could pull off a shock.

Victory for Southampton would lift them out of the relegation zone, and Smith said: “The back four played really well at West Brom and we looked very solid.

“Claus Lundekvam and Andreas Jakobsson made some really good blocks, so I didn’t have to make too many saves.

“Even so, it was nice to keep my first clean sheet for Southampton - especially away from home. I think it is only our second league shut-out of the season.

“I just had to make sure I kept my concentration, particularly in the second half when I was less busy. I had to clear a few crosses, but there were not too many saves to make because we defended so well.

“I thought we’d done enough to get the three points – but if we keep playing that well we will be okay. Arsenal will be tough, but we have given ourselves a bit of a confidence boost and we’re looking forward to it.”

Tottenham boss Martin Jol has spent time watching the Champions League this week and admits he would love to see his side in the competition.

But Jol, despite making a good start to managerial life in the Premiership, has warned that day could still be some way off.

Jol, whose side are ninth in the table heading into this weekend’s home clash with Fulham, said: “Last week I was thinking how we would do against the top European teams. We can start next year and prepare.

“Before that there is not much possibility. Will we be in Europe next season? That is in the stars. The Champions League is where everyone wants to be. Watching Arsenal and Bayern Munich shows what we need to do. We wanted to be there 10 years ago. We want to be there now – but it’s a way off.

“Six wins and then you are in contention for Europe. Bolton had a bad spell; they recovered – and now look at them. Every team outside of the top three has bad spells. You need to win eight out of 10 games at home, and I think we are on course to do that. Nothing should be written off.”

Fulham defender Liam Rosenior is hoping to retain his place in the side ahead of Moritz Volz for the trip to White Hart Lane.

Rosenior made his club debut at the start of the season but has only just begun to claim a regular spot in the side.

His chances have come at the expense of the more experienced Volz, who has been omitted from the last three squads, but the 20-year-old admits he cannot afford to let his standards slip.

“If you’re playing it’s up to you to make sure you keep your place in the team,” Rosenior told his club’s official website, www.fulhamfc.com.

“The manager has made it clear that if you’re doing well you’ll keep your place. I know I’ve played the last few games, but Moritz is a really good player - I’ve learnt a lot from him. He’ll want his place back.

“That’s a really healthy position for the club to be in. We both know that if we’re not on the top of our game then there’s someone ready to step in.

“But Moritz and I get on really well – off the pitch we’re very good friends, and that’s the way it should be.”

Provisional squad: Lehmann, Almunia, Lauren, Cole, Clichy, Toure, Cygan, Senderos, Larsson, Vieira, Flamini, Pires, Ljungberg, van Persie, Henry, Eboue, Owusu-Abeyie, Taylor.