Arsenal’s hopes of a Champions League revival and fourth place chase in the Premier League have been dealt a severe blow as midfield star Jack Wilshere is sidelined for three weeks due to an ankle injury. The Englishman will miss games against Bayern Munich and Swansea this week and is unlikely to be available for England when they play San Marino and Montenegro later this month.

Wilshere has been Arsenal’s most in-form player this season, after returning from a long-term ankle injury just last October. The 21 year-old has injured his other ankle this time around and the Gunners will sorely miss the youngster’s energy when they aim to mount a sensational comeback against Bayern this Wednesday.

Manchester City are planning a summer fire sale that could see a number of unwanted players moved on and one among them, right-back Micah Richards, is of particular interest to Arsene Wenger. Bacary Sagna is certain to leave the Gunners at the end of the season and the Gunners boss sees the out of favour City right-back as an ideal replacement, according to the Daily Mail.

A City youth product, Richards established a first team place by the 2006/07 season. However, the Englishman has struggled to retain his place in the first eleven this season owing to a recurring knee injury. The 24 year-old has made just 4 starts for City this season and with Pablo Zabaleta and Maicon also vying for playing time, Richards is unlikely to regain a first team spot.

ECB today announced that Sussex left arm spinner Monty Panesar has been awarded an England increment contract for 2012-13. Panesar qualifies for the award by virtue of having played three Test matches against India and a Test match against New Zealand during the current contractual period.

England off spinner Graeme Swann has been ruled out of the current Test series against New Zealand due to a right elbow injury.

England’s 2-1 win in the three-match series against New Zealand has not only given it a perfect build-up to the ICC Champions Trophy 2013, which is just 100 days away, but has also kept it on course for finishing second in the Reliance ICC ODI Championship Table at the 1 April cut-off date.

England’s come-from-behind series win means it has retained second place but has dropped two ratings points to now lead third-ranked Australia by just one ratings point and fourth-ranked South Africa by five ratings points. India has taken an outright lead on top of the table with 119 ratings points.

The ECB today announced that Somerset wicketkeeper batsman Jos Buttler has been awarded an England increment contract for 2012-13.

Barcelona right-back Dani Alves is impressed with young Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere and feels that the English sensation is a terrific prospect. The Telegraph reports that Dani Alves was particularly struck by the midfielder’s responsibility in his man of the match showing at the international friendly against Brazil earlier in the month.

Alves heaped praise on Wilshere while speaking to Spanish reporters recently and claimed that the 21 year old would be on his wishlist to sign for Barcelona, if he had the chance. Alves said, “He is a great player who we have met playing against Arsenal and without doubt he can reach the height of the players we have here at Barcelona like Xavi and Iniesta."