NO RETURNING PLAYERS FOR 'BORO GAME

The squad is facing testing times, with a fixtures blitz that would rock even the first team. Arsenal are looking likely to face most of the first half of December without several key players. Wenger does not expect to have his injured players back for Sunday's trip to Middlesbrough.

Mathieu Flamini (thigh), Alex Hleb (hamstring), Cesc Fabregas (hamstring) and Robin van Persie (knee) all missed the 1-1 draw at Newcastle on Wednesday night and none of that quartet are likely to be involved when Arsenal return to the North East.

"No Fabregas, no Hleb, no Van Persie, no Flamini will be back for the weekend," said Wenger in his post-match press conference at St. James' Park.

This is a blow to the main creative element of the side, considering the poor performance of Gilberto and the rawness of Diarra against Newcastle. I'm not suggesting we can't beat Middlesbrough, who are a team struggling, just with the clear imbalance in the squad Arsenal may still find this fixture costly if we loose or draw as Manu are more-or-less back to full strength and face Derby at home. After that, we should expect to start getting players back either for the Bucharest game or certainly for the Chelsea game at home. Manu play Liverpool away and the results of that weekend could prove to be a turning point in the season...If we still have our 4 point advantage after this then expect title talk to follow.

In other news the SUN suggests Arsene has decided to take his option up on signing Tresor Mputu. The new Sammy Eto'o will cost a paltry 500K and at 21 years old, would be certainly be in consideration for the first team squad...