Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere could face an injury lay-off of upto three months after sustaining ankle ligament damage, according to reports in the Telegraph.
The England international limped of the pitch just around the hour mark in the Gunners 2-1 defeat to Manchester United on Saturday after injuring his left ankle following a late challenge from Paddy McNair.
The report states that scans have shown no broken bone but ligament damage to his left ankle but after consultation with a specialist, a decision will be taken on whether an operation is needed. If the midfielder does undergo surgery, he will be out for around three months and that lay-off will be a little shorter if no operation is needed but there is still little chance of Wilshere playing again this year.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger in his pre-match press conference confirmed that the youngster did not suffer any bone damage, but refused to comment on the length of the injury layoff. He said:
He has a big ankle sprain and I don’t want to talk about it because I’m not a specialist medically. [To find out] for how long, we will need to see a specialist.
Wilshere’s career has been disrupted by injuries throughout and although the midfielder is only 22, he has already has had several operations on both his ankles with the right one being the most problematic. He is the kind of player who needs plenty of game time to reach his peak form and find the sharpness that was much talked about when he first burst on to the stage as a teenager.
He has had a great start to the season and showed what exactly he is capable of, in some of the games with the Manchester City game being a perfect example of that. He helped the Gunners to a 2-2 draw by scoring one and assisting another , but more importantly showcased technical quality in an advanced position.
The Englishman dropped a little deeper while representing the Three Lions, but performed credibly in that position too by helping the team to a couple of important wins. He definitely has the potential to be a tremendous player for club and country, but he needs to overcome his injury problems to take his game to the next level.
Will Wilshere injury be a big blow for Arsenal?
