Cesc: Gunners lack nous

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Fabregas: Is comfortably Arsenal's most experienced midfielder.

Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas has pointed to a lack of experience for some of their slip-ups. "Our squad is a bit short on numbers and we are very young. Behind me there is Denilson, who is 20, or Alex Song who is 21. Theo Walcott is 19 and Samir Nasri 21," he said. "It's hard to imagine a midfield where I am the oldest member."

Arsenal v Everton: Preview

Arsene Wenger is convinced his squad has enough depth to cope with a number of short-term injury problems, but accepts there is "not a lot of margin for error'' if their Barclays Premier League title challenge is to last the distance.

The Gunners head into tomorrow's clash against Everton at the Emirates Stadium without captain and centre-half William Gallas as well as full-back Bacary Sagna, who both picked up knocks while away with France.

Add to that the enforced absence of fellow defender Johan Djourou because of concussion and striker Nicklas Bendtner, who has an ankle problem, and suddenly Wenger's options - particularly at the back - appear somewhat depleted.

However, the Arsenal manager is confident enough that with the return of Abou Diaby for the first time this season following a thigh problem and midfielder Cesc Fabregas having pledged to play through the pain barrier after breaking his nose during the international break, he can even afford to give England winger Theo Walcott a rest.

The Gunners are also expected to give veteran Mikael Silvestre a belated debut following his transfer from Manchester United.

Wenger, though, is anything but complacent having seen his men already lose twice this season - the same amount as in the entire of their last league campaign when they again missed out on the title as both Manchester United and Chelsea overtook them during the run-in.

With two more points dropped at Sunderland in their last match before a fortnight off, Arsenal, currently in fourth place, cannot afford many more off days if they are to remain serious challengers over the next seven months.

"If you ask me how many games you think we can lose, I would say zero because I always start a season thinking you cannot lose a game, but we have lost two already and we are in a position where we have given ourselves a handicap,'' he said.

"However, I still think it is manageable to get back to the top and I want to lead this team knowing that there is not a lot of margin of error left - but I still think we can do that.''

Wenger hopes all of his latest players to head to the treatment room will be short-term, with winger Tomas Rosicky and striker Eduardo both continuing their long roads back to full match fitness.

Forward Robin van Persie has recovered from a muscular problem picked up while away with Holland, but Walcott could be given a breather tomorrow.

"Theo has come back available, but I might rest him because he played on Wednesday night in Minsk. We have that option,'' Wenger added.

Everton boss David Moyes has vowed to rebuild his squad if they are unable to re-capture the form of the past few years.

Everton have won just two games this season. They also lost a Merseyside derby and have been dumped out of the UEFA Cup and the Carling Cup.

Moyes - who earlier this week signed a new five-year contract - will tomorrow take an injury-hit squad to the Emirates, while the following weekend champions Manchester United are the visitors to Goodison Park.

The Blues are without Tim Cahill, who completes a three-match ban, whiles fellow midfielder Segundo Castillo picked up a hamstring strain on international duty with Ecuador, and defenders Phil Jagielka and Joseph Yobo have flu.

Striker Victor Anichebe and captain Phil Neville are also still recovering from hamstring problems. Leon Osman has a groin strain.

Moyes said: "I would one day like to be as stable as Arsenal and Manchester United. They are in a different situation regarding finance, but the stability has helped them.

"Did I think that we could have taken Everton into the Champions League, or the UEFA Cup regularly?

"Maybe I felt that might be a little beyond us, but we have managed it and done pretty well with what we have had.

"But if we do not get things back to what they were last season we will have to start working on re-assembling another team for years to come.''

He added: "The facts show that clubs who make regular changes end up in trouble, including financial trouble. Now we are not in financial trouble but we have trouble because we need another investor.

"We have never had much money, and that is the case at the moment. But everyone works really hard to get to the top.

"In the last few seasons we have given it a good go, and that is what we will do again.

"Apart from five or six managers in the country, the rest of us are unable to move our clubs on in the way we would want. "

Gallas, Sagna and Bendtner out

Arsenal will be without William Gallas, Bacary Sagna and Nicklas Bendtner over the next week after all three sustained injuries while on international duty.

Manager Arsene Wenger today admitted his side had suffered "heavy losses'' with further concerns over three other players.

Gallas (hamstring), Sagna (knee) and Bendtner (ankle) will all miss this weekend's Barclays Premier League clash with Everton and next Tuesday's Champions League trip to Fenerbahce.

Cesc Fabregas (broken nose), Robin van Persie (muscular) and Johan Djourou (concussion) also suffered knocks but Wenger is hopeful they should be able to feature. Abou Diaby will also be included in the squad for the first time this season this weekend after overcoming a thigh problem.

Wenger told Arsenal TV Online: "Unfortunately we have lost some players over the 10 days - William Gallas, Bacary Sagna and Nicklas Bendtner. These are heavy losses and we have to compensate them.

"Fortunately the three of them don't look to be out for a long, long time but they will be out for the weekend game and I think the game on Tuesday.

"As well as them, Djourou got concussion during his game with Switzerland and will be assessed tomorrow to see if he is available. He does not look too bad and he could have a good chance to play.

"I am still waiting for Robin to come back so I don't know about him. However, he should be okay.

"He went with a muscle problem but he came on after 56 minutes last night and, from the reports I got, he should be all right. Both of them will be assessed.

"Also I am told Cesc has a broken nose. It should not stop him playing. He is here now and is being assessed.''

One way the losses will be compensated for will be in the return of Frenchman Diaby.

"At least Abou Diaby is back in the squad again,'' Wenger said. "Even though he has not played games he will be used, at the least in the squad, because we have lost those three players.''

Fabregas rescues Arsenal

Fabregas rescues Arsenal
Fabregas celebrates his late, late equaliser at Sunderland. Cesc Fabregas cane to Arsenal's rescue with an injury-time equaliser to deny Sunderland victory after a 1-1 draw at the Stadium of Light. The Gunners were within seconds of suffering successive Premier League defeats for the first time since March last year, after substitute Grant Leadbitter smashed home an 86th-minute goal.

Wenger infuriated by Sunderland's tactics

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger bemoaned Sunderland's defensive approach after seeing Cesc Fabregas snatch a point at the Stadium of Light.

The Spaniard headed home an injury-time equaliser in a dramatic conclusion to the game after substitute Grant Leadbitter looked to have condemned the visitors to back-to-back Premier League defeats for the first time since March last year.

Wenger admitted his side had not been at their best a week after the shock 2-1 home defeat by Hull, and revealed his frustration at the tactics employed by opposite number Roy Keane during the 1-1 draw.

Asked if the result was a fair one, the Frenchman said: ''It is a result. It depends what you call fair.

''I believe if you take the possession and the initiative, it was all us. But they defended with great spirit and were resilient for the whole game.

''I like to think usually the team that takes the initiative should be rewarded, but it is not always like that in football.

''We lacked a little bit the sharpness to get them out of position.

''They gave us the ball and said, 'Listen, we are happy with 0-0, do what you want', and the story of the game was they didn't only almost get the 0-0, they almost won the game.
''We needed character to come back and at least get a point.

''Is it a good point or a bad point? I don't know, but it was a frustrating day for us because we didn't create the chances we usually do and I must say, Sunderland defended very well.''

Keane, however, launched a robust defence of his team after they came within seconds of snatching a famous victory.

He said: ''I can only focus on my own team, and I am sure Arsene will have to do the same.
''I am pretty sure if I had different players available, we might have been a bit more attack-minded. ''But I have to look at the squad of players I have available to me and for today, that was a good option for us. Next time we play them, it might be different.

''We played Arsenal a number of times last year, we played Chelsea, we played United - we played United here and went 4-4-2 and we lost 4-0, and it could have been seven. ''We have to get the balance right with our own team and maybe Arsene Wenger should focus on his own team.

''The bottom line for any of these top teams, they will tell you, part of the game is breaking down the opposition.''

Leadbitter's 86th-minute strike seemed to have given the Black Cats all three points, but Fabregas rescued the visitors three minutes into injury-time. It might have been different, however, had a 56th-minute Robin van Persie strike been allowed to stand, with television replays suggesting that a decision to disallow it because the ball had gone out of play before Theo Walcott crossed was questionable.

Wenger said: ''From the bench, my neck is not tall enough to see was the ball was out or not. ''Theo Walcott says that the ball was in. I have to believe him, but anyway, it doesn't change anything now. There has been nothing given.

''It's just another appeal for video. If a manager had two appeals per game on video, with this one, I would have used it, of course.''

Meanwhile, Keane insisted he was mystified by reports that he will attempt to lure former adversary Patrick Vieira to Wearside in January. He said: ''I haven't got a clue where it has come from. It's not fair on the club or Patrick Vieira. ''He's at a club, he is under contract and good luck to him. I am sure if you asked him, he has got no intentions of leaving Inter Milan or wherever he is at.

''If he was going to leave there, I am not sure Sunderland would be at the top of his list.''