Cesc won’t rush return

Cesc Fabregas insists he will not rush his recovery from a hamstring problem and will wait until he is fully fit before returning to action.

The Arsenal skipper is currently sidelined with an injury picked up while on UEFA Champions League duty against Braga.

He was forced to limp off in Portugal, providing a fresh setback to what has already been a stop-start season.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger revealed that he expected to be without his captain for around a fortnight, with it hoped that Fabregas would be back for a crunch clash with Manchester United on 13th December.

The World Cup-winning midfielder has stopped short of setting himself a comeback target, though, as he knows it is imperative that he is 100 per cent if he is to avoid further breakdowns in the future.

“I don’t want to put a date on my return yet, I will take my time,” Fabregas said in his programme notes for Tuesday’s Carling Cup quarter-final clash against Wigan.

“The team did really well without me against Aston Villa, so I will wait until it is completely ready.

“It is so frustrating, though. It seems when something like that happens, it all goes wrong at the same time, so you have to be strong, put everything behind you and keep working.”
Standards

Fabregas admits he is yet to hit top gear this season, following a draining summer in South Africa, but feels it is only a matter of time before he is back to his talismanic best.

“I know I haven’t been at my best this season,” added the Spaniard.

“I started the season really strongly, the first few games, but after that I had an injury and got into a pattern of missing a few games, and then starting again.

“So it is better my team-mates play, because they are fitter than me.

“I will just try to get back whenever I can. My team-mates are helping me a lot and I am trying my best.”