"Шамах и Жервиньо будут отсутствовать из-за Кубка Африки. И мы окажемся в неприятном положении, если кто-то еще получит травму. Так что если появится возможность, то мы сделаем какие-то покупки как Лукас Подолский. Сейчас у клубов экономическая ситуация не самая лучшая. Но у нас есть определенные средства", - цитирует Венгера AFP.

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini says Arsene Wenger is fortunate to have the backing of Arsenal’s boardroom.

Wenger has not won a trophy for six years and Mancini admits the Frenchman might not have been so lucky have he managed in Serie A.

"In Italy I think it would be impossible to go six years without winning anything. But here in England there is more respect for the manager.

"For a manager like Wenger who has won so many trophies for Arsenal it's different. In football, if you win you are great and if you don't you are not. Football is like this.

"But for me Wenger is still a great manager. You see how well the squad play. He lost a Champions League final against Barcelona and recently has been up against great Manchester United and Chelsea teams."

Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott would welcome Arsenal striker Robin van Persie at the club - even though he doesn't believe the Dutchman is any better than their current crop of forwards.

Van Persie has earned plenty of praise for his goalscoring form in 2011, with his wonderful first-time effort against Everton last weekend taking his tally to 33 for the calendar year. With his contract due to expire in 2013 there has been talk that City will look to sign the 28-year-old in the summer - but Lescott isn't sure his addition is necessary.

"I wouldn't swap him for any of our strikers - but I'd take him as well," Lescott said, according to The Sun. "We'd welcome any great players here and he is one. He's the man for Arsenal at the moment and he's obviously their main goal threat.

"He's right up there with the best strikers around. As a forward you get judged on goals so at the moment he's the best in the league.

"He can score all sorts of goals, with either foot. His work-rate for the team is great as well."

Lescott and City will come up against Van Persie on Sunday, as Roberto Mancini's side host Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium. It might be expected that City would make a special effort to keep Van Persie quiet, but defender Vincent Kompany believes that the club have been forced to deal with similar threats for the last few weeks and will not approach the challenge any differently.

"It is not like it has been any different in the previous weeks," Kompany noted. "I have gone from Mario Gomez to Wayne Rooney to Edinson Cavani to Didier Drogba and now Robin van Persie. The list of names doesn't stop.

"It is a tough world for defenders sometimes but I enjoy it all the more when I play against strong opponents."