Wenger writes off Villa for the title

Rocked by the serious injury to captain Cesc Fabregas, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger takes his team into a vital Boxing Day match against Aston Villa.

Fabregas will not require surgery on the knee injury but will be kept out of the season until April.

The 21-year-old Spaniard ruptured medial ligaments in a 50-50 challenge with Liverpool's Xabi Alonso and has travelled to Barcelona to consult specialist doctor Ramon Cugat and told Marca: "After consulting with the best doctor possible, we've decided not to operate.

"If it would have been necessary it would have been the first thing I would have done, but the doctor recommended to me not to do it because I'm young and the meniscus is not damaged."

Without Fabregas and suspended striker Emmanuel Adebayor, Arsene Wenger's depleted side travel to Villa Park looking for revenge after Gabriel Agbonlahor helped inflict a shock result when the two teams met last month.

"It is a big game," Wenger said. "We are three points behind and have a good opportunity to come back on them. It is a very important game for us."

Villa are up to third in the table, five points behind leaders Liverpool, and their run has sparked debate over how long they can stay there after a first half of the season that included a win at the Emirates Stadium.

That still has not persuaded Wenger to believe Villa can remain within sight of the summit in the new year.

"They are mathematically in there but if you asked me if they are going to win the title I would say no because they are other teams who to me look better equipped," Wenger said. "For a place in the top four, they are a threat."

Should O'Neill do the double over Wenger when they face each other on Boxing Day, Villa will be six points ahead of Arsenal at the halfway stage of the campaign.