Cesc Fabregas ruled out for four months

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The news is a massive blow to Arsenal's hopes of winning both the Premier League and Champions League, as the influential Spaniard may not be back in first-team action until April.

Midfielder Fabregas was substituted at half-time at Emirates Stadium on Sunday following a heavy challenge from Reds midfielder Xabi Alonso.

Wenger does not blame Alonso for the injury and insists his side will be able to cope without their captain, starting at Aston Villa on Boxing Day.

The Frenchman said: "It is not good. It is a partial rupture of the medial knee ligament that is taking us to three or four months' injury time.

"We will count for four months without him but we know that he will be working very hard to come back earlier.

"We will miss him, of course, but we have to find a way to compensate and I'm sure we can deal with it and when he comes back he can help us to get over the line in the final months.

"The challenge was fair. These are the kind of things you accept in the game. I don't feel there was any intention to hurt. It was purely accidental."

When asked if Fabregas's injury would make a January transfer signing more of a possibility Wenger added: "More likely, yes, but we have internal solutions as well. We are not desperate."

Alonso today admitted to being extremely "upset" about the clash and wished his fellow Spain international a speedy recovery. The midfielder said: "It was just another incident of the game, there was no malicious intent.

"I'm hoping for a rapid recovery for Cesc. Now comes the most tedious bit, the recuperation, but I will be there encouraging him.

"If anything, I'm even more upset than he is. It always affects me to see a companion injured but especially if it is a friend. I went to see him after the game and, from what he told me, we both expected it was something serious."