Clichy blow for Gunners
Arsenal have been hit by a fresh injury blow with Gael Clichy joining fellow left-back Ashley Cole on the sidelines with a suspected fractured foot.
Clichy was injured during the France Under-21 team's draw against their English counterparts in a European Championships play-off tie at White Hart Lane last Friday.
The French Football Federation today confirmed the 20-year-old full-back had fractured his foot and had returned to Arsenal for treatment.
Arsenal, meanwhile, were still carrying out tests on the extent of the injury before making any public comment on Clichy's condition.
It is not yet known for how long Clichy will be out of action, but any absence would be a significant blow for Arsene Wenger, with Cole already ruled out with a fractured metatarsal bone.
Wenger has allowed one possible back-up, Justin Hoyte, to go on a season-long loan to Sunderland, where he has ironically been playing more at left-back than his customary right-back position.
Other options appear to be moving central defenders Pascal Cygan or Kolo Toure over to left-back or asking Emmanuel Eboue, who is predominantly a right-sided player, to shift flanks.
Arsenal have previously suffered costly injury blows to Sol Campbell, Thierry Henry and Alexander Hleb while away on international duty so far this season.
Now Clichy's possible absence could hinder their chances of recovery in the title race, with league games against Wigan, Blackburn, Bolton, Newcastle and Chelsea scheduled in the next month.
