Arsene Wenger’s side will have to battle on without captain Mikel Arteta…
Mikel Arteta will be out for the long-term, and his ongoing absence has been accepted by manager Arsene Wenger, who is well aware of his captain’s struggles with injury.
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According to reports in the Guardian, the Spaniard is continuing to struggle with calf and ankle issues, and will be out for ‘many more weeks’. He has not played at all since mid-November, when he was subbed during Arsenal’s Champions League clash against Borussia Dortmund.
It was the third time this season he had injured his calf muscle and amid the general sense of frustration, Wenger said Arteta would be out for between three and four weeks. However, he has since suffered a related setback in the ankle and his prospects are now rather more bleak.
The 32-year-old is known as a tremendous professional who looks after himself well and this has only made those setbacks and the length of the lay-off harder to take, as he fight to return to the Gunners first team set-up.
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