Freddie fit and ready to face Cottagers
Freddie Ljungberg is looking to ease Arsene Wenger's midfield injury worries by targeting a return to action in Arsenal's Boxing Day clash against Fulham.
Ljungberg has missed the past three matches after suffering two acute migraines, prompting the club to send him for scans with a neurologist.
Those tests gave him the all-clear to resume full training this week, with the Swedish international now hoping to make his first-team comeback in Sunday's game at Highbury.
That would certainly be a relief for Wenger, who revealed his confidence last week that Ljungberg 'should be fit for the Christmas period'.
After all, Jose Antonio Reyes has now been ruled out of contention for the game against Fulham with a knee injury, even if he may yet recover in time to face Newcastle three days later.
Gilberto is still a long-term absentee with a back injury, while Edu is now back in training after a broken toe, even if he was not included in the expected starting line-up for tonight's reserves game against Charlton.
Indeed, Edu may yet find his first-team chances limited if he continues to fail to reach agreement over a new contract, with his current deal due to expire next summer.
Ljungberg's expected return would nevertheless give Wenger some room for manoeuvre, even if Robin van Persie has now forced his way into the reckoning.
The Dutchman, who is only just coming to terms with the speed of the English game, was given his first Premiership start in the 1-0 win at Southampton last weekend.
Van Persie is not used to the idea of a frantic programme of Christmas fixtures, with Arsenal playing four times in 10 days, but he is relishing the prospect.
'It's going to be strange as, in Holland, you get two and a half weeks off. It's new for me but I think it adds something to play on Boxing Day,' he revealed.
'I know it's a tradition over here so I'm looking forward to it. My wife will be spending Christmas Day with her family, but I will be at work.'
Van Persie can probably expect a return to the substitutes' bench against Fulham, with Dennis Bergkamp poised for a recall in attack, but Wenger will no doubt rotate his squad over the festive period.
Indeed, the Arsenal boss remains confident his team can keep up the pressure on leaders Chelsea over the next fortnight after their win at Southampton last Sunday.
'The Christmas games are always important and I feel that Christmas started on Sunday. Now we play on the 26th, the 29th, the 1st and the 4th, so we have a lot of games in a short time,' Wenger told the club's website.
'It is very important to capitalise on that because over Christmas things can change quickly. But we have the hunger, talent and experience - and they're good ingredients to make it interesting.
'We also have the belief and we can come back. You have seen that anything can happen and it's down to us.'
[此贴子已经被作者于2004-12-22 8:48:20编辑过]