Fàbregas out for 'three to four months'

Arsenal FC captain Cesc Fàbregas is out for "three to four months" after a scan on his injured right knee revealed a partial ligament rupture.

Fears realised
The Spain midfielder did not emerge for the second half for Arsenal's 1-1 Sunday draw against Liverpool FC and manager Arsène Wenger suggested that Fàbregas was likely to have at least a short spell on the sidelines. But a scan on Monday has revealed a much longer absence for the 21-year-old and at the very least he will miss the UEFA Champions League first knockout round tie against AS Roma on 24 February and 11 March according to the diagnosis. Spain's next FIFA World Cup Group 5 qualifiers are against Turkey on 28 March and 1 April.

Wenger sorrow
"The news is not good because it is a partial rupture of the medial knee ligament which is taking three to four months injury time," said Wenger. "We count four, we know he will be working very hard to come back earlier but I count four months. How much [we will miss him] is difficult to say, the only thing we can say for sure is that we will miss him of course. We have to find a way to compensate for the fact he will not be on the pitch, and give everybody a bit more. I am sure we can deal with it. When he comes back he can help us to get over the line in the final months." Arsenal lie fifth in the English Premier League and visit Aston Villa FC on Friday before facing Portsmouth FC two days later.