New setback for Cole

Arsenal insist Ashley Cole’s latest setback is not a recurrence of his last serious injury.

The England defender lasted less than 10 minutes of last night’s reserve match against Tottenham at Barnet’s Underhill ground before limping off following a challenge from Andy Bircham.

A club spokesman told The Sun: “He seems to have sprained his left ankle. It’s not a recurrence of the old injury.”

The 25-year-old left-back fractured his foot in October and then sustained a thigh muscle injury on his return to action against Middlesbrough last month.