Van Persie to miss Everton game 'as a precaution'

Robin van Persie will miss the visit of Everton on Sunday as a precaution.

The Dutchman went off at half time in the 6-2 win at Derby on Monday because of a slight thigh problem. The 24-year-old has suffered with that injury this year so Arsène Wenger deemed it best to withdraw him. With only a tiny chance of lifting the Premier League and Euro 2008 coming up this summer, he is going to leave him out again this weekend.

"Van Persie is out as a precaution," said the manager. "We don't want to gamble at this stage of the season on a muscular problem. We had a little alert but it is not big at all. Apart from that we have no one coming back. Maybe Mathieu [Flamini] will be on the bench but I don't know yet. He might join in training on Friday."

Apart from that, Wenger is liable to name the same squad as Monday. That means the likes of Lukasz Fabianski, Nicklas Bendtner and Denilson may continue.

"I want to see them in a competitive area," he said. "We have a big game on Sunday. They go for something, we go for something. I want to see them again."