Clichy ruled out for several weeks with back injury

03 November 2009 13:41
LONDON (AFP) - Arsenal defender Gael Clichy will be sidelined for several weeks after suffering a back injury, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger revealed on Tuesday.[LNB]Wenger fears the 24-year-old French left-back, who is due to go for scans later on Tuesday, has a stress fracture of his back which is likely to keep him out of action until Christmas.[LNB]Clichy's injury comes just three days after Danish forward Nicklas Bendtner was ruled out for at least four weeks with a groin problem.[LNB]Wenger will turn to young English defender Kieran Gibbs to deputise for Clichy in Wednesday's Champions League clash against AZ Alkmaar at the Emirates Stadium.[LNB]"Bendtner is quite seriously injured and on top of that we have lost Gael Clichy with a back injury which was not expected," Wenger said on Tuesday.[LNB]"It looks like Clichy could be out for a while. We fear a stress facture of the back. We will know more about that tonight (Tuesday) but if that is the case he will be out for a few weeks.[LNB]"Nicklas we still don't know yet (how long he will be out) but it will be at least four weeks."[LNB]Gibbs endured a Champions League nightmare last season when his slip allowed Manchester United's Park Ji-sung to score a crucial early goal that sent the Gunners sliding to a semi-final second leg defeat.[LNB]Wenger acknowledges that the pressure is now on Gibbs but he is confident the 20-year-old can fulfil the expectations of those who claim he could win a surprise place in Fabio Capello's England squad for the World Cup.[LNB]"I was very comfortable to have the solution to rest Clichy when needed and play Gibbs when neccessary," Wenger said.[LNB]"Now a huge stress will be on Gibbs to play in every game. Capello and England will be happy because they want him to play in every game but it is still a blow for us.[LNB]"But I have every confidence about Gibbs. I have said that many times."

Source: Eurosport