Arsenal's Santi Cazorla could miss the rest of the season with Achilles problem

The Spain international has been out since November with a knee injury but now has an issue with tendonitis which could yet rule him out for the remainder of the campaign.

The Gunners have struggled with Cazorla on the sidelines and are six points off the top of the Premier League table after Sunday's defeat at Manchester United.

It was initially hoped the 31-year-old would be back at some point in March but - ahead of Wednesday night's game with Swansea - Wenger gave a fresh prognosis on Cazorla.

"Santi is not doing too well," he said.

"He has some Achilles problems that hold him back. His knee is doing well but his Achilles has inflamed a little bit and we have to put him off impact.

Asked if he is now set to return in April, Wenger replied: "We have to see now how he responds. He had always a little tendonitis on his Achilles and we have to see how he responds to that."

Fellow midfielder Jack Wilshere is still looking at a minimum of three weeks before making his own long-awaited return having not played this season due to a broken fibula.

He is now set to miss England's friendly double-header later this month with Wenger confirming he has not started training with the squad as of yet.

"Jack is doing quite well but has still not been outside yet," he said.

"Running, I think, starts again this week. Three to four weeks (until he is back). I can understand you worry for the England team. I worry as well. I'm a supporter of England."

With experienced campaigners Mikel Arteta and Tomas Rosicky also out, Wenger's options in the middle of the park are limited.

Yet again, an injury threatens to derail Arsenal's season at a critical point. It feels like it's a well-worn path now, to suggest that the Gunners are doing something fundamentally wrong that they keep getting hit with this sort of injury. But this season at least they're far from alone: Manchester United have more than a dozen players injured, while Liverpool have also been ravaged by problems during the current campaign.