Theo Walcott is likely to be out for “four to six weeks”, according to Arsène Wenger.
Arsenal FC winger Theo Walcott looks set to miss their first three UEFA Champions League games after being ruled out for four to six weeks with an ankle injury.
Walcott, 21, was taken off on a stretcher early in England's UEFA EURO 2012 qualifier against Switzerland on Tuesday after sustaining ankle ligament damage in the build up to Wayne Rooney's opening goal. Although England manager Fabio Capello initially predicted a two-week lay-off for Walcott, tests have revealed the injury is more serious.
Arsène Wenger, the Arsenal manager, said: "When you see how it turned his ankle I thought it would be three or four days or it would be four to six weeks. Unfortunately it will be four to six weeks. We had some good news about the scan because at some stage we were scared it could be worse. But overall it is a question of patience and rehabilitation."
Walcott had started the season in superb fashion, scoring four goals in the first three Premier League matches, but he will now play no part in the Gunners' opening Group H fixtures at home to SC Braga next Wednesday and away to FK Partizan a fortnight later. He is also a doubt for the visit of FC Shakhtar Donetsk on 19 October.
As well as those European games, Walcott is also out of the crucial Premier League fixture with champions Chelsea FC next month and England's UEFA EURO 2012 qualifier against Montenegro on 10 October.
Jermain Defoe fears he may be out for eight weeks with ankle injury
• Striker set to miss England's qualifier against Montenegro
• Tottenham also likely to lose forward for Champions League
Jermain Defoe fears he may be out for eight weeks after suffering ankle ligament damage during England's 3-1 victory over Switzerland on Tuesday.
The injury means the striker will miss the majority of Tottenham Hotspur's Champions League group games and England's Euro 2012 qualifier against Montenegro next month. Defoe hurt his ankle midway through the second half of Tuesday night's game.
It is incredibly bad timing for Defoe, who had gone some way to cementing his place alongside Wayne Rooney in England's attack with a hat-trick in the 4-0 win over Bulgaria in the opening qualifier last Friday.
Defoe's absence will also be a particular source of frustration for the Tottenham manager, Harry Redknapp, who had already lost the defender, Michael Dawson, for eight weeks after he twisted his knee against Bulgaria.
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