Arsenal’s season in limbo with Fabregas and Walcott injuries

A nervous few days beckon for Arsene Wenger as he waits to find out the extent of the injuries picked up by attacking duo Theo Walcott and Cesc Fabregas in the home win over Stoke.

Arsenal’s betting odds have now been cut from 2/1 to 15/8 to win the Premier League following the 1-0 success, with Wenger’s team now just a point behind Manchester United at the top of the table.

However, the victory did come at a cost, with Fabregas limping off early in the first half with another hamstring problem, while Walcott twisted his ankle awkwardly late on and had to be replaced.

Alongside potentially having an impact on their title challenge, the injuries could also harm Arsenal’s chances of winning the Carling Cup.

Walcott has definitely been ruled out of the Wembley showdown with Birmingham, while Fabregas is a major doubt.

It is 1/2 in the Carling Cup betting that Arsenal win their first piece of silverware since 2005, with Birmingham being the 6/1 underdogs.

Wenger said: “How long is Walcott out for? I cannot tell you. But for Sunday, he is definitely out.

“Fabregas has a hamstring problem. It is impossible to see how important it is. It is of course a concern that he is injured.”

Wenger added that Arsenal have turned up the pressure on their Premier League title rivals with their win over Stoke by taking advantage of the fact that they were playing when nobody else was in league action.

Despite Wenger being happy with Arsenal’s current league position, it is still largely Manchester United’s title to throw away, especially as they also have a game in hand.

Manchester United’s betting odds are 1/2 to win the Premier League and they can restore their four-point cushion with a victory away at Wigan next.

A £25 stake on Arsenal beating Birmingham 2-1 to win the Carling Cup would return £200. New customers can sign up here for a free £25 bet.