Emirates Stadium midfielder faces days off rather than weeks.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger expects midfielder Jack Wilshere will miss training for days rather than weeks following his withdrawal from Saturday’s 1-0 Premier League win at Sunderland.
Wilshere was at his creative best in playing a key role in the only goal of the game at the Stadium of Light, scored by Santi Cazorla, but was also subjected to some rough treatment by Martin O’Neill’s Sunderland.
He was withdrawn early in the second-half, but should only miss training for “four or five days” according to Wenger. He could, however, be a doubt for next Saturday’s FA Cup fifth round clash with Blackburn Rovers at the Emirates Stadium.
The injury came on the back of Wilshere playing the entire game for England in the friendly victory over Brazil at Wembley on Wednesday – something that al so angered Wenger who understood his star would not play all 90 minutes.
Speaking after the victory at Sunderland, Wenger said: “I was a bit frustrated because I thought many times, Jack didn’t get the free-kick he deserved.
“The referee let two or three things go that I thought were fouls on Jack. I just want the referee to give a foul when it’s a foul. I don’t want any special protection. The referee is not a bodyguard, he is just a referee and you want him just to give a foul when it’s a foul.”
Wenger had already suffered an injury blow in the warm-up when Laurent Koscielny suffered a recurrence of a calf problem and missed the game. Carl Jenkinson, his replacement, was sent-off for two bookable offences at the Stadium of Light and will now be suspended for the visit of Blackburn.
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