Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger accepts he can't gamble with the fitness of Gunners captain Cesc Fabregas, but believes the Spain international is close to his best form. Fabregas has been hampered by a hamstring problem since his return to first-team action after the World Cup final.
"It is getting better," said Wenger.
"He was out for a while and had a recurrence of his hamstring problem, then it gets in your head.
"When it gets in your head, it is difficult to play free of your mind.
"I feel it is getting better in every match, from game to game he becomes stronger.
"On Saturday against Tottenham, he has created three great goal chances, so we are getting back to the normal Cesc."
Wenger revealed: "Sometimes after the game he has a little recurrence, but at the moment I do not want to take a massive gamble.
"We cannot afford to lose him, so I check every morning of the game how he is and we monitor him quite well, but it is on the way up."
