Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admits that Francis Coquelin broke his nose in today's 2-0 win over Everton.
Coquelin was determined to stay on after the incident, but soon a second whack left the midfielder with no choice but to come off and he was replaced at the Emirates Stadium in the 89th minute by Calum Chambers.
Wenger confirmed after the game that the Frenchman has broken his nose, but insists he does not know how long he will be out of action for or whether surgery will be required.
"Yes [he has broken his nose]. I don’t know [how long he will be out], I hope not [for long]. I don’t know whether he will need surgery or not", Wenger said via his club's site.
"They told me he was bleeding [after it happened], but that he could stay on.
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"The second time he was hit again so after that I had to take him off. I had been told by the medical people that he could stay on."
Wenger says he is not surprised that Coquelin was desperate to remain on the pitch, something he takes as a sign of the midfielder's commitment to the club and the cause.
"He wanted to stay on.
"He didn’t play here for a long time so now that he plays, of course he doesn’t want to come off the pitch."
Since returning to Arsenal from a loan spell at Charlton Athletic earlier this season, Coquelin has been a key man for the Gunners and played an important role in the heart of the side's midfield.
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