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‘We’re all devastated about Danny’

Arsene Wenger is “devastated” by Danny Welbeck’s latest injury.

The Arsenal forward had surgery on his right knee this week after suffering cartilage damage during Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Manchester City.

Welbeck is expected to take nine months to recover fully - ruling him out of the European Championship and the first half of next season.

“We’re all devastated, and Danny even more so,” Wenger told Arsenal Player. “We can only feel sad and support Danny now in order to get him back.

“It was basically from an anonymous tackle. The difference between the tackle and the severity of the injury is baffling. We don’t understand that but we have to accept the verdict and we have to live with it.

“Danny has to deal with it unfortunately. We just have to give him the maximum support we can and show him that we trust he can come back.”

Welbeck came back from a 10-month lay-off in February and announced his return with a dramatic stoppage-time winner against Leicester City. He scored four more goals - including the winner against Norwich City - before Sunday’s setback.

“He scored goals and when he came on he had an impact,” said Wenger. “I pushed him in and out of the team because I knew he’d been out for a year. Sometimes for the big games I kept him out to recover from the efforts he has made.

“Sometimes people accused me of being too cautious but I knew that he did not play for a year and the intensity of the Premier League is so exceptional that you have to be cautious. The injury was accidental. I don’t think there’s anyone to blame, not our opponents or medical staff. It was completely an accident.”