Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger confirmed that Theo Walcott will be sidelined for at least three months after the England winger had surgery on his dislocated shoulder on Thursday.

Walcott was injured when he slipped on the rain-soaked pitch in Berlin during a training session with Fabio Capello's squad on Tuesday.

Wenger admitted he could not blame the English Football Association (FA) for the accident.

"I'm disappointed because he is an important part of the squad, but that could have happened in training here," Wenger said. "It was an accident that could have happened anywhere.

"I do not blame the FA for that. It was accidental in training and I accept that. In a moment like that you do not think about compensation you think about how you can replace the player."

It is the fourth time Walcott has suffered a shoulder injury as he struggles with a hereditary condition inherited from his father Don. Walcott had surgery on an identical injury on his left shoulder in 2006 and had only just returned from a shoulder problem suffered at Stoke earlier this season.

However, Wenger insists there is no danger of Walcott's career being put in jeopardy by the injuries.

"There is no (long-term) concern about that. Once the surgery is done and it is solid, there is no concern at all for the future of Theo Walcott. Not at all," he said. "It can take time to use his shoulder again and every little protection of the ball, you need your shoulder. At the start they use their body and don't use their shoulder as much as they should. It takes some time to get used to that."

(China Daily via AFP November 22, 2008)