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Wenger ready to gamble
Arsenal, 13:04, March 8, 2010 ,
Arsene Wenger says he might risk Cesc Fabregas' fitness in a bid to see Arsenal reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
The Gunners are 2-1 down going into the second leg of their last-16 tie against Porto and must win if they want to reach the latter stages of the competition.
Arsenal might have to take to the field without skipper Fabregas, however, after he picked up a hamstring injury in the 3-1 victory over relegation threatened Burnley on Saturday.
The Spain international has already missed three weeks of the season with a similar injury he picked up in the 3-0 win over Aston Villa in December and will be given up until the last minute before Tuesday's game to prove the problem is not as serious as last time.
While the Gunners continue to be right in the mix in the Premier League title race Wenger is determined to keep the club's Champions League dream alive as well and is ready to risk making Fabregas' injury worse.
"I'm ready to take the gamble," said Wenger. "But if there is more than a 50 per cent chance of his hamstring going I will not take it."
Wenger went on to praise his captain for the performances he has produced this season and, if fit for Tuesday, punters might fancy using their free bet to back the 22-year-old to get the opening goal of the game like he did against Burnley on Saturday.
"You look at the Fabregas numbers and they are amazing - 14 goals and 15 assists," added the Frenchman. "He's a fantastic player with a fantastic attitude and commitment.
"And what people forget, an unbelievable work-rate too. This season he has taken a big step forward, massive."