Fabregas and Djourou set to return for Reading visit
Arsenal v Reading
Barclays Premiership
Emirates Stadium
Sat, Mar 3, 2007, 3pm
By Richard Clarke
Arsène Wenger will welcome back Cesc Fabregas and Johan Djourou for the visit of Reading on Saturday however the Arsenal manager is still suffering from a considerable injury headache.
Tomas Rosicky and Thierry Henry are both set to miss out at the weekend. More significantly, the Czech midfielder’s groin problem will keep him on the sidelines for the crucial Champions League tie with PSV on Wednesday. The French striker is also classed as “a doubt” for the game.
“Saturday looks to me very short for all of the injured players,” Wenger told Arsenal TV Online on Thursday afternoon. “The only one who could return is Johan Djourou (ankle). Cesc Fabregas will come back after he was rested at Blackburn but we lost Emmanuel Eboue [at Blackburn] with an ankle injury.”
The Ivorian right back will be missing for the next three domestic games anyway after his appeal against an FA charge was dismissed an hour or so after the Arsenal manager spoke at the Club’s training ground.
The bans picked up by Adebayor and Toure from the Carling Cup Final will also count on Saturday but not in the Champions League. That is a relief to Wenger given that his side trail PSV 1-0 from the Knockout Round first leg and he may be missing two of his most inventive players next Wednesday.
“Tomas will be out for the PSV game and Thierry is a doubt,” said Wenger. “We will try our best to get him fit but at the moment it is impossible to say. The suspended players will be back for this game so Adebayor and Toure will play. Maybe Abou Diaby will be back too.”
For the record the full list of absentees for Saturday’s game is: Adebayor, Eboue, Toure (all suspended), Henry (foot), Rosicky (groin), Diaby (ankle), Justin Hoyte (hamstring), Mathieu Flamini (foot) and Robin van Persie (foot).
