Wenger expects extended Van Persie injury layoff

ARSENAL'S coach, Arsene Wenger, says he has almost written off Robin van Persie's chances of playing again this season.

The Dutch striker, 26, suffered ankle ligament damage in a friendly against Italy on November 14 and will be out till April at the earliest. Wenger told the club's website: "If you are very positive you would say he'll be back in April. If you're a bit cautious you would say it will be May, it is virtually the rest of the season."

Well known for his psychological battles with other managers, it appears that Wenger is using some reverse psychology on himself to deal with the loss of his star striker. He added: "Personally, I thought 'Let's put it in my head that he will not play again this season and hope that I will have a good surprise."

Following the injury, Van Persie underwent surgery in Amsterdam to reconstruct the ankle ligaments, an operation that Wenger said was a success: "When you have such a big surgery there is one thing that is important first of all, and that is the opinion of the surgeon, will he be the player he was before? We had a clear answer. 'Yes'.