Arsene Wenger tells Fabio Capello: Give Jack Wilshere a summer holiday

Wilshere, 19, has won four England caps but has expressed a desire to play for the Under-21s in this summer's European Championships in Denmark, a wish shared by both Capello and England Under-21 boss Stuart Pearce.

Wenger admitted that the Football Association will have the final say on Wilshere's participation in the tournament but believes that selecting him defeats the point of the junior England sides. "The youth system is made to promote the players for the top team and once they are in the top team I don't see a basic need to go back," said the Arsenal manager.

"Once they play in the first team, your job has been done so you can promote other players.

"If you say we want to go for national pride and ego, so we just play our best players in this tournament, then it is defendable. But that is not why the youth teams have been created.

"It is in the interests of the FA as well that Wilshere is protected. It is normal that you play many games but you have to make sure you do not make a mistake with a promising player.

"But the final say is the rules. The rules say that if a player is in the hands of the FA, then only they can decide."

Wenger's immediate concern is tomorrow's Premier League game against Blackburn. Arsenal have a match in hand on leaders Manchester United but are five points behind them, meaning victory is vital.

The League is the only competition in which the Gunners are involved, whereas United are still competing in the Champions League and the FA Cup - a situation Wenger believes might benefit his team.

"It can be a help for us because for three months we played every three days," he said. "In December, January and February we played nine games per month.

"It was too much because we lost important players for key games. We have a week now to recover between every game. That should help us.
"We need to play with joy, feel pressure-free and be happy to play. A happy player is a better player."

Cesc Fabregas, Theo Walcott, Abou Diaby and Alex Song all return to the squad while Robin van Persie should also be fit despite sustaining a bruised knee while playing for Holland.