The Frenchman declared: “I’m not just tired, I’m cooked. I can hardly stand up at times. My back hurts, my legs hurt, I hurt everywhere. I am going to see the manager because he must give me some rest.

“I don’t know when or how, but we have to do it quickly because the Champions League is coming and there will also soon be two matches [Slovenia and Malta in Euro 2004 qualifiers] with the French team.”

Vieira is worried that his form is suffering as a result, being quoted in the Evening Standard as admitting: “I know very well that I’m not good at the moment and that my performances are up and down.

“My confidence is not affected by these average performances because I know myself very well, but I do feel a bit unnerved by my form.”

Former Arsenal captain Frank McLintock expressed his disbelief at Vieira’s revelations and believes they could be as much due to psychological as physical reasons following the constant speculation over his future last season.

Wenger, meanwhile, insists there is no pressing need to rest his influential midfielder, who already faces a one-match ban on September 21 instead of playing Bolton due to his red card against Chelsea.

He could even be in line for a further suspension as he has been charged by the Football Association with swearing at referee Andy D’Urso.

There is therefore no way that Wenger is about to take his captain out of the firing line as he prepares for this weekend’s trip to Charlton.

Wenger told the club’s website, www.arsenal.com: “Patrick played in Cyprus on Saturday night and after the game against Manchester City on Tuesday night, he was very tired.

“I looked at the statistics for Tuesday’s game and, physically, Patrick was outstanding. He pushed himself very hard and that explains why he was so tired.

“But I have no plans to rest him. I believe he is a different physical shape now and he will be ready for Saturday’s game.”

Vieira played 54 times for Arsenal last season, in addition to 11 appearances for France, making an energy-sapping total of 65 games and he certainly showed signs of exhaustion at the World Cup.

McLintock nevertheless told Sky Sports News: “I’m astounded by it. I’ve watched him in recent games and he looks just as good as ever.

“He covers a vast amount of ground. He’s a great athlete and to think that he is tired after five games is quite astonishing.

“When I think back to when we played, we often played 55 to 65 games a season. The game has become a bit quicker but the pitches we played on were much different.”

One added problem for Arsenal is that their French Under-21 international striker Jeremie Aliadiere has been diagnosed with a serious groin strain that could require surgery.

On a more positive note, however, winger Freddie Ljungberg has revealed he is targeting the club’s home game against Bolton on September 21 as his projected comeback date.

Ljungberg, who has been sidelined since the World Cup with a hip injury, came through a 67-minute run-out for a combined reserve and youth side in a friendly against Reading yesterday.

“I hope to be in the squad soon, hopefully by the home match against Bolton, but we’ll have to see how things go,” he said.

“There can be a big reaction if you hurry back too early. It is important to give yourself a bit of time to get used to playing again.”

“But it’s nice just to play football again. It is hard to be out but that is life. When I had the operation I had to mentally accept I was going to be out for three months.

“I am ahead of schedule and I must look at that as a positive. Soon I’ll be back playing with any luck.”