Arsenal Football Club News

• Nickname:Gunners
• Founded:1886
• Manager:Arsene Wenger

• Ground:Emirates
• Capacity:60,432

Six weeks out for van Persie

23 Jan 2007 - 17:37:56

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Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Robin van Persie will be sidelined until early March after breaking the fifth metatarsal on his right foot in Sunday's 2-1 victory against Manchester United.

The 23-year-old Dutchman came on as a second-half susbtitute before sustaining the injury when scoring the Gunners' equaliser at the Emirates Stadium.

Wenger told the club's official website: "We have lost Robin van Persie for a while.

"How long I don't really know. It will be six weeks at least, if not more.

"It is a big blow because Robin has been on fire. He has had a great season until now.

"What is really terrible for me is that I did not want to use him at all. But we were 1-0 behind and I decided to put him on. However he got injured and you can never predict that."

Van Persie, who has scored 13 goals for the Gunners this season, was signed by Wenger from Feyenoord in May 2004 for £2.75million.