Vermaelen's injury more serious than expected © EuroFootball.com

London strategist Arsene Wenger admitted he does not know when defender Thomas Vermaelen will return to the team lineup.

The 24-year-old Belgian injured his Achilles tendon on September 7 in Istanbul, while playing for his national team against Turkish footballers.

"Initially, we thought Vermaelen would recover in a few days, but now it is clear that treatment may take longer. At the moment, I cannot say when he will be able to play again," - said the Frenchman coaching the team.

Arsenal's list of injured players also includes Robin van Persie, Aaron Ramsey, Bacary Sagna, Laurent Koscielny, Manuel Almunia, and Emmanuel Frimpong.