Soccer:Arsene Wenger was today hoping Cesc Fabregas would only be out for two weeks with the hamstring injury suffered in Arsenal's Champions League defeat at Braga.
Gunners captain Fabregas was set to undergo a scan this afternoon to determine precisely how long he would be sidelined for but manager Wenger was optimistic it would be a short hiatus.
“Fabregas will be assessed today with a scan,” Wenger told Arsenal TV before training today. “After that, we can tell you how long he will be out, but I count two weeks.”
However, Wenger hinted Fabregas - who has had real problems with the hamstring in his other leg this season - might need to have his game time rationed when he returns.
The Gunners boss added: “It is a big blow because it will question how cautious we have to be in the future with him. Cesc has played 50 games a year since a young age. We may have to be more cautious with him, especially in the next two months.”
Fellow midfielder Emmanuel Eboue, who was carried off on a stretcher in Portugal on Tuesday night, faces between four and eight weeks out with a knee ligament strain.
Wenger said: “It can be four weeks, can be six weeks or can be eight weeks. But I think it will be four weeks minimum."
Aaron Ramsey, meanwhile, will complete his long-awaited comeback from a broken leg with a loan spell at Nottingham Forest. Wales midfielder Ramsey, who suffered a horrific double leg fracture in the Gunners' Barclays Premier League game at Stoke in February, has joined the Championship side until January 3rd.
The 19-year-old successfully came through 45 minutes for Arsenal's reserves against Wolves on Tuesday but manager Arsene Wenger believes he will gain match fitness and sharpness more quickly by playing regular first-team football.
"He has played 45 minutes on Tuesday with the reserves and he came through well," said Wenger today. "But, of course, he has been out for nine months. The 45 minutes were surprisingly good but we have to see from game to game.
"We need to give him back competition and that takes a few games."
Wenger also loaned out England Under-21 midfielder Henri Lansbury to Norwich ahead of today's 5pm loan deadline and was planning to farm out Jay Emmanuel-Thomas.
"Jay Emmanuel-Thomas will go out because he needs to play. There are plenty of clubs in for him today - I will see this afternoon what we will do."