Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski could miss rest of season with shoulder injury

Arsenal's Polish international goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski will require surgery on his shoulder and could miss the rest of the season, according to a report in today's Guardian from David Hytner:

The Arsenal goalkeeper's worst fears were confirmed after a consultation with a specialist. "The doctors expect me to take a long break," Fabianski said. "But we'll see if that will happen."

Fabianski had become Arsène Wenger's number one after the dip in form and injuries that Manuel Almunia suffered late in the autumn.  Playing well in his starts, the Pole appeared to have shored up last season's shaky form, and although he occasionally still came under fire from the press and supporters for what they saw as questionable decision-making, he looked a good bet to hold onto the number one position even after Almunia's return.

A shoulder injury sustained in training, however, inflicted by no less that Fabianski's backup, Wojciech Szczesny, saw a spot open up for the latter.  Szczesny, 20, has impressed for most of January, and has kept Almunia on the bench for all but the Huddersfield FA Cup match.