Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed captain Cesc Fabregas has been ruled out of the League Cup final due to a hamstring injury. In Wednesday's match against Stoke City, Fabregas limped off the field after just 14 minutes of play and will miss Sunday's cup final against Birmingham City at Wembley.

"It is a very small injury but certainly Cesc will be out for Sunday," said Wenger. "For how long [beyond that] I don't know, but definitely for Sunday. He is disappointed. We all feel sorry and sad for him. The only way we help him now is to win the Carling Cup as he contributed a lot in this competition."

Wenger would not be drawn on the chances of Fabregas being fit for the second leg of Arsenal's UEFA Champions League tie with Barcelona on 8 March. Theo Walcott will also miss the League Cup final after being carried off on a stretcher in the same game Wednesday night.

"It is very difficult to give a deadline [on Fabregas]," Wenger said. "It is impossible."

It is a very small injury but certainly Cesc will be out for Sunday. For how long [beyond that] I don't know, but definitely for Sunday.
Arsene Wenger, Arsenal coach

"I saw him [Walcott] this morning," Wenger added. "He has a classic ankle sprain. We don't think there is any more damage to it, but it is still a sprain. "We are sad for him too. He is out for Sunday and maybe one or two weeks more."

However, it is not all bad news for the Gunners when it was revealed Robin van Persie, Laurent Koscielny and Abou Diaby are expected to be available after they all missed the Stoke game. Van Persie sat out the match with a hamstring problem, Koscielny was missing with a back problem and Diaby, who was suspended, should be fit after a calf complaint. Wenger said "all three will be available and everyone else is all right from the Stoke game."