Arsene Wenger said Nicklas Bendtner will be out for 'weeks not days' after suffering an injury in the Gunners' win over Cardiff

Published: 1 January, 2014
by TOM FOOT at the Emirates Stadium

Premier League
ARSENAL 2, CARDIFF CITY 0

ARSENE Wenger said he never gave up on Nicklas Bendtner after the want-away striker struck late to set the Gunners on the way to a 2-0 victory against Cardiff City.

The Dane twisted his ankle while celebrating his 88^th-minute opener. He will be out for “weeks not days”, leaving Wenger short on firepower with Olivier Giroud also injured.

“It is Nicklas,” said Wenger, hinting at the general misfortune surrounding Bendtner. “But you know, he has gone through some difficult periods and I want to give him credit tonight. I had told him he was back to his level where I wanted him to be. Unfortunately, now he has got injured.

“I never give up on people. The expression of the fans [who previously booed Bendtner] is the diagnosis of the day, it is a photo of the day. They can and do change their minds. Nicklas is focused. He wants to stay at Arsenal.”

They left it late, but Arsenal ran out winners to edge back to the top of the Premier League.

Walcott’s brilliant chip on 90 minutes dealt a final cruel blow to the visitors after they had restricted the Gunners to just one meaningful shot on target before Bendtner’s breakthrough.

“Cardiff is certainly the fittest team in the league,” Wenger said after the match.

Walcott and Bendtner will get the headlines but it was Jack Wilshere’s industry and intelligent passing over the 90 minutes that was most telling. He battled on brilliantly when other heads went down.

Arsenal had started slowly again – the fourth home game in a row that they have gone in at half-time without scoring – and Cardiff danger man Jordan Mutch had looked lively.

With the rain pelting down and Liverpool, Chelsea and Man City all winning, the fans were calling for Bendtner as an impact sub.

He arrived on 65 minutes to replace Lukas Podolski who was disappointing after expectations were raised following his clinical finish against West Ham.

The final third was frantic and frustrating and on another night could have brought a hat-trick for Per Mertesacker.

On 88 minutes, Nacho Monreal’s cross found Bacary Sagna whose header forced a diving save from keeper David Marshall. He spilled the ball and Bendtner smashed it in.

Walcott then chipped a second after a clever reverse pass from Wilshere.

Arsenal are one point ahead of Man City and face Spurs in the FA Cup on Saturday.

ARSENAL: Wojciech Szczesny, Bacary Sagna, Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny, Nacho Monreal, Mikel Arteta, Matt Flamini (Rosicky 65), Jack Wilshere, Santi Cazorla, Lukas Podolski (Bendtner 65).

Attendance: 60,004