Arsenal midfielder Andrey Arshavin admits he was stunned by the physical approach of Blackburn Rovers.

"I can't even step on my foot now. It's like a knife cut - not very deep but quite painful," he said.

"Blackburn is the toughest tackling team I've ever played against. Ooijer tore my boot and the skin too. At half-time, our doctor had to do a lot of work on my foot. So when I scored the second goal, I ran over to thank him for a job well done.

"It happened early in the first half but in the heat of the game I didn't feel the pain. I hope to recover in four or five days.

"I'll do everything possible to be fit by Saturday's match against Newcastle. I'm pretty bored of training alone. I have enough of it when my team is getting ready for the Champions League games."