Thomas Vermaelen set to solve Arsenal left-back crisis for three games

Thomas Vermaelen will be asked to solve Arsenal’s left-back crisis against Everton, Manchester City and Aston Villa as Kieran Gibbs is 11 days away from a return to action.

Andre Santos has confirmed that he will be out for three weeks after twisting his ankle in Arsenal’s 3-1 Champions League defeat to Olympiakos on Tuesday night.

Gibbs, who has been out since mid-October, is building up his fitness after recovering from a hernia operation and Goal.com has learned that he has been pencilled in for a comeback on December 19 when Arsenal’s reserves host Chelsea.

With his two senior left-backs on the sidelines, Wenger’s two main options to fill in are vice-captain Vermaelen and rookie defender Ignasi Miquel.

Spaniard Miquel replaced Santos for the remaining 39 minutes at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium on Tuesday and played 80 minutes at left-back in the League Cup defeat to Manchester City last week. He also played there in the previous round against Bolton Wanderers.

However, it is understood that Wenger is reluctant to hand 19-year-old Miquel his first Premier League start against Everton at Emirates Stadium on Saturday and is likely to rejig his ever-changing back four by playing Vermaelen at left-back with Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker in the centre-half positions.

Wenger has mentioned Vermaelen as a left-back candidate on a few occasions this season but the Belgium international has only actually filled in there as a substitute despite being tried in the role on a few occasions in training. However, he has played at left-back for his country and his former club Ajax.

Should the 26-year-old adjust well to the position this weekend he could also stand in at left-back for the trip to Man City on December 18 and in the match at Villa three days later.

With Bacary Sagna a long-term absentee and his understudy Carl Jenkinson likely to be out for another week with a back injury, Johan Djourou is set to deputise once again at right-back.

This raises the prospect of Wenger fielding four centre-backs in defence against Everton and possibly longer depending on Jenkinson’s recovery.

Henry backs RVP to join Arsenal legends

Thierry Henry reckons “amazing” Robin van Persie is following in his footsteps to become an Arsenal legend.

He compared van Persie’s progression at the club to his own, from difficult beginnings to becoming the Gunners’ main man.

The New York-based French ace watches every Arsenal game he can and says his former team-mate – who has scored 30 goals in 31 Premier League games in 2011 – will get even better.

He believes only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi can be compared to van Persie and reckons his goalscoring ratio is “ridiculous.”

“What can I say about Robin? I saw him come in here and at the very beginning he wasn’t the easiest guy to deal with, like I wasn’t I guess,” said Henry. “But it’s amazing to see how he has improved.

"That tells you how intelligent a player he is. I’m just in admiration. Thank God he is playing for us and doing well.

“It’s nice to see a player improve. What van Persie is doing now, in terms of, not just goals, but ratio of goals, apart from Ronaldo and Messi it is ridiculous.

“He is doing something amazing. That also tells you how important it is for him to not get injured.

“He has never had a chance to have a full season since he has been here – he was always out for two or three months. For the first time he can go on a roll now and you can see the difference.”

Henry was deeply moved by Arsenal creating a statue of him to recognise his legendary status at the club. But he was typically modest as he stressed the importance of his team-mates’ roles.

But he admitted it was hard to choose which other players should have a statue made of them and was proud at being chosen after playing in illustrious company. “It’s difficult to compare different eras,” he said. “I can only feel honoured and privileged that I was chosen.

“I want to insist how important it was for me to play with some great players. Without them I wouldn’t have been able to play there.

“When you look at the likes of the back four: Martin Keown, Nigel Winterburn, Lee Dixon, Sol Campbell, Ashley Cole – I am going to name the whole squad – Patrick Vieira, Sylvain Wiltord, who was underrated at the time because he was an amazing player. Robert Pires as well.

“Without them I wouldn’t have been able to do what I did – we went through a season unbeaten. Without your team you are nothing. It would not have been possible without them so I want to thank them too.”

His progression from misfit at Juventus to Arsenal record goalscorer has made him a folk hero and, despite leaving for Barcelona and now playing for New York Red Bulls in the MLS, he insists he will always be a fan.

It was difficult for him to watch at the start of the season as Arsenal struggled but he is convinced they are back onto great things again now.

But Henry, 34, also ruled out ever returning to Arsenal to play – even on loan – and refused to think about one day managing the club with his former boss and mentor, Arsene Wenger, sat alongside.

“Every time I can I always watch Arsenal,” said Henry. “It was hard at the beginning of the season but now they are on the right track and they have to keep on going.

“But I’m in pain when Arsenal lose, I can’t take it well. I didn’t like it when I was a player and it’s worse now – at least when you’re a player you can do something about it. I always watch them.

“One day I might think about management, but when is he (Wenger) going to stop? The manager is right here.

“I just came back here to stay in shape. Also you know how much I love London – I have my daughter here and I am always here in the off season. It’s perfect for me to be around the club.”