Wenger may get defensive in the January window as Toure and Eboue depart

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The Arsenal manager has an option to recall Johan Djourou from his loan spell at Birmingham but Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue will be missing on African Nations Cup duty for up to five weeks.

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Wenger said: "In midfield we have plenty of players. The only area we might be a bit short is at the back because we have Kolo and Eboue going to the African Nations Cup but we might have Djourou back."

Arsenal's 28-match unbeaten run came to an end on Tuesday in the 3-1 defeat against Sevilla, a game in which Wenger admitted his reshuffled defence were "off the pace".

The Frenchman does not believe it will have the same impact as when the Invincibles' unbeaten run was ended in acrimonious circumstances at Old Trafford three seasons ago.

He said: "When we lost after 49 games it was a massive setback because it coincided with the end of an era for us and this time it is the start of an era so psychologically its not the same."

Robin van Persie has been ruled out for "two or three more weeks" as he struggles to recover from a knee injury but there is better news with Alexander Hleb (hamstring) and Gael Clichy (thigh), who will also have tests today.

"For them it looks more optimistic," said Wenger, who will also welcome back William Gallas and Emmanuel Adebayor.