The public statements coming out of Arsenal all suggest that Arsene Wenger fears he could be without captain Cesc Fabregas for up to three weeks after he picked up a knee injury in the 1-1 draw with Liverpool. However, there are private fears that the injury is much worse than is being claimed.

Cesc limped off the Emirates pitch at half-time after appearing to come off second-best while sliding in to challenge for a loose ball with Xabi Alonso near the halfway line.

After the match, Arsene Wenger said "It's a medial knee ligament injury, (but) I don't know how long he will be out.”

"It's difficult to assess - it could be one week or three weeks," added the Arsenal coach.

However, privately there are fears within the Arsenal dressing room that Cesc’s injury could be far worse than the club is prepared to admit. Quite often, in situations like this, the player has an innate sense of how bad an injury really is and there is a real fear that Cesc has torn a cruciate ligament in his right knee – meaning he would face closer to three months, rather than three weeks, on the sidelines.

This would be a terrible way to end what has been an otherwise unforgettable year for the Spanish midfielder. Cesc will undergo tests tomorrow to establish the full extent of the injury tomorrow and it is sincerely hoped that these fears prove unfounded.

An extremely worried Xabi Alonso visited Cesc immediately after the game to wish him well and to see how his Spanish international team mate was doing. Fabregas was very upset and anxious to discover how much damage has been done, but accepted that this is all part and parcel of the game.

Whatever happens, Fabregas will miss Arsenal’s next match, an absolutely vital Premier League clash with third-placed Aston Villa on Boxing Day