Cole says he played with broken foot

Arsenal's Ashley Cole, seen here in september 2005, said he'd unknowingly played six weeks with a broken bone in his foot before realising the full extent of an injury that has ruled him out until the New Year

Arsenal's Ashley Cole said he'd unknowingly played six weeks with a broken bone in his foot before realising the full extent of an injury that has ruled him out until the New Year.

Left-back Cole has been sidelined since early October with a fractured metatarsal bone in his right foot, exactly the same injury suffered by his replacement, Gael Clichy.

The England international has already missed 11 games and could be ruled out of another nine or 10, including clashes against champions and leaders Chelsea and Manchester United.

"It's annoying. I haven't missed too many games so far but I think I will end up missing quite a few now," Cole said.

"At the start of the season, I felt really fit and I said to the physios - which probably jinxed it - that I was hoping not to miss a game all season. Then that happened and I was gutted."

Cole's injury problem was only diagnosed after an x-ray ahead of England's World Cup qualifiers against Austria and Poland, having earlier been given the all-clear in a scan.

"In fact, I played with the injury for a month and a half because I didn't really know what it was at first. I was just putting ice on it every day because I thought it was just a knock," Cole said.

A scan before the game against Ajax only revealed bruising, but an x-ray before he joined up with England revealed the true extent of the injury.

Pascal Cygan has filled in at left-back in recent games, while England Under-18 international Kerrea Gilbert made his senior debut in that role in Monday's 3-0 League Cup win over Championship leaders Reading.