Since a hat-trick against Derby on 22nd September, Emmanuel Adebayor has been struggling for goals in the league. In fact, the Togo international has managed just one in seven league games ahead of the Gunners’ match at Villa Park on Saturday. Although he’s far from the finished article, there’s no doubting that more than anyone, Adebayor’s form is being affected by the absence of Robin Van Persie through injury.
According to the Times, the Dutchman’s return remains on hold:
“Van Persie is out,” said Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager. “It will be two to three more weeks.”
Van Persie is still experiencing considerable discomfort and will not feature in Saturday’s game at Aston Villa. “He is not close,” Wenger added. “He has no chance at all for next week.”
Arsenal have done incredibly well to remain at the top of the league without their lethal marksman. This mainly stems from the goalscoring ability of midfielders such as Fabregas, Rosicky and Hleb, along with cameo roles from defenders such as Gallas and Toure. However, December is a critical month for any team’s title chances due to a hectic schedule and Wenger will be hoping Van Persie can feature sooner or later.