Cesc Fabregas is unlikely to be involved in tomorrow’s Premier League clash with Portsmouth at Fratton Park.

The Arsenal skipper sustained a hamstring win during a virtuoso display over Aston Villa on Sunday.

Welsh midfield starlet Aaron Ramsey could replace him in the starting XI, while other options include Samir Nasri and the returning Tomas Rosicky.

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“Rosicky I would say will be fit for Portsmouth or for West Ham [in the FA Cup on Sunday]. But Nicklas Bendtner is three weeks away from returning,” said manager Arsene Wenger. “He had a hernia surgery and should be back from that already but he had a groin problem as well. “The groin problem looks to last longer so they [the medical staff] say to me it will be three weeks.”

Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey could be the man to step up and fill the void in the Gunners' midfield left by the injury to skipper Cesc Fabregas, according to former star Ray Parlour.

Spain international Fabregas came on as a second-half substitute and changed the game against Aston Villa on Sunday, scoring twice in a 3-0 victory.

Immediately after netting his second, though, he pulled up having strained his hamstring, and could be set for a three-week spell on the sidelines.

But Parlour - himself a midfielder who made 466 first-team appearances for the Gunners between 1992 and 2004, scoring 32 goals - feels that Arsene Wenger could have a ready-made replacement for the Catalan at his disposal, with other players developing nicely as well.

"In midfield they played ever so well. [Abou] Diaby's come up," he told Sky Sports News.

"The last two or three games Diaby's been excellent. Denilson's played okay against Hull City.

"It's an opportunity now for someone like Aaron Ramsey, who every time he's come off the bench has done ever so well.

"So now they've got to rely on people like that and it's a great opportunity for Aaron Ramsey now.

"He might have three or four games in a row when [Alex] Song goes to the African Cup of Nations, and he's a point to prove to Arsene Wenger that he can play week in and week out in this team."

Parlour feels that Wenger was forced into using Fabregas whilst the result against Villa was still in some doubt and has paid the price with the player's injury.

"Ideally he would have like Arsenal to be one or two-nil up and maybe not have risked him," he added.

"But at the time they needed a little bit more presence in midfield, a little but more from someone who can open up a back four from Aston Villa.

"So he took the chance, scored two great goals and changed the game in 21 minutes.

"But that's the consequences. He's pulled his hamstring again. He'll be out for I would imagine at least three weeks now, because I pulled my hamstring before in games and it's quite a painful feeling.

"They risked him really and it didn't pay off but they got the three points."