Arsene Wenger: 'Abou Diaby injury an opportunity'

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has insisted that Abou Diaby's absence is an opportunity for another player to prove themselves.

The Frenchman limped out of the Gunners' 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on Saturday and has since been ruled out for at least three weeks with a thigh injury.

While Wenger admits that Diaby's injury is a blow, it does represent a chance for someone else to prove there worth in his place.

"It is as an opportunity for somebody else to stand up and play, but it is a blow," said Wenger. "Not only because we lost a good player but because he has qualities that the other players haven't got.

"We have better balance size-wise and [in terms of] strength [when he is in the team] because he has power. We also have Ramsey, Coquelin, Chamberlain, Wilshere, it depends on if you want to be more offensive. We have plenty of players who are in between higher up and lower down in midfield.

"Arteta can play higher and deeper as well. So we can put a deeper midfielder in like Coquelin and then Arteta can move forward."

Arsenal host Olympiakos in the Champions League on Wednesday night.