Alex Song will miss Arsenal's next two games.

The versatile Cameroon international was a surprise absentee when Arsène Wenger's side travelled to Barcelona last week after a scan showed an inflamed cartilage in his knee.

Song was hoping to return for Wednesday's North London derby at Tottenham but he is now likely to miss that game and the trip to Wigan on Sunday as well.

"Song is out. Definitely out," confirmed Wenger at his pre-match press conference.

"He looks like he will be out for the whole week and over the weekend he will not play as well."

Meanwhile Andrey Arshavin and William Gallas are both nursing calf injuries and Wenger is not sure when either player will be back.

"Arshavin is out. [It could be the] Man City [game] for him, but I don't think he will make it," said the manager.

"Gallas is not available for the next two or three weeks. I don't know [if he will play again this season]. I hope so, but it will be short for him."

For the record, Arsenal's other injured players at present are Cesc Fabregas, Kieran Gibbs, Aaron Ramsey and Johan Djourou.

Arsène Wenger has strongly refuted rumours that Cesc Fabregas has played his last game for Arsenal, adding that those who leave North London tend to regret it.

Over the weekend, the Spanish international was, yet again, linked with a transfer to Spain in the summer. Having cracked a bone in his leg a fortnight ago against Barcelona - ironically, a suggested target - a move would mean the midfielder's seven-year career with Arsenal was already at a close.

However, speaking ahead of Wednesday's trip to Tottenham, Wenger put forward robust reasoning why his skipper would stay.

"Some people try to be specialists at making players unhappy," said the manager. "But up till now, all of the players who have left have wanted to come back so that means they are not as unhappy as they sometimes look.

"I believe that this team is on the way up. We don't work for four or five years with young players, stand up for them, let them come through and, when they are ready to perform, sell them. That would be irresponsible. But I cannot stop them from talking in Spain."

Apart from the emotional arguments, Wenger also put forward some grounded reasons why Fabregas would still be at Emirates Stadium next season.

"You want to see the length of his contract?" asked the manager. "The players who are at the end of their contract can sign where they want but, with the players under contract, we decide on their future.

"We are not under any financial need, we are well-managed and that gives you one luxury in that you can decide about the future of your players.

"Secondly, we want to be a better team next year than we have been this year and that means we always want to keep our best players."

Главной задачей обеих команд в этом матче станет набор максимального количества очков. Победа позволит "Арсеналу" обойти "Манчестер Юнайтед" и приблизиться к "Челси". "Тоттенхэм" же сможет сократить дистанцию от заветного четвертого места, дающего право на участие в Лиге Чемпионов в следующем сезоне. Ранее в нынешнем сезоне соперники уже встречались, и "канониры" отпраздновал уверенную победу со счетом 3:0, благодаря дублю Робина Ван Перси и голу Цеска Фабрегаса. В воскресенье "Тоттенхэм" провел 120 игровых минут против "Портсмута" в рамках полуфинала Кубка Англии, и некоторые футболисты могут быть уставшими. В нынешнем сезоне "шпоры" потерпели только 3 домашних поражения.

В стартовом составе "Тоттенхэма" возможно появление защитника Ледли Кинга. Он лечился с февраля, но во вторник вернулся к полноценным тренировкам. Нико Кранчара еще беспокоит лодыжка, а вингер Аарон Леннон может пропустить остаток сезона. Уилсон Паласиос начнет отбывать 2-матчевую дисквалификацию. Заигранные в Кубке Англии за другие клубы Юнес Кабул и Кайл Уолкер вернутся в команду. Джермейн Дженас, Джонатан Вудгейт и Карло Кудичини - травмированы.

За "Арсенал" может сыграть нападающий Робин Ван Перси, лечившийся с ноября. Об этом поведал тренер команды Арсен Венгер. Скорее всего, голландец появится на замену во втором тайме. Полузащитника Александра Сонга по-прежнему беспокоит колено, так что место в центре обороны "канониров" займет экс-игрок "Тоттенхэма" Сол Кэмпбелл.