Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will not risk playing Jack Wilshere against Blackburn in the FA Cup on Saturday afternoon if he is not convinced the midfielder is fully fit.

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Wilshere, 21, has been the heartbeat of the Arsenal side in recent weeks but sustained a thigh injury during Arsenal's 1-0 win at Sunderland last Saturday.

After returning from a 14-month injury lay-off in October, Wenger is wary that his young star might suffer a burnout and, with vital games on the horizon, is not prepared to take a chance with him - especially after he played 90 minutes for England against Brazil at Wembley last week.

"I will not take a risk," Wenger said. "[That is because I have] the rest of the season in mind and what happened to him before.

"There was no big issue on that [playing 90 minutes for England]. What I said after the game was that I could understand, England were winning and he was the best player. It is difficult to take the best player off when you are beating Brazil.

"Maybe it is a friendly but it still has meaning for the confidence of the country, so I could understand that."

Laurent Koscielny, who had to pull out during the warm-up at Sunderland with a calf problem, and captain Thomas Vermaelen are also doubts for the game.

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