Pires surgery delayed

Arsenal midfielder Robert Pires may not need surgery on knee ligament damage says French team doctor Jean-Marcel Ferret.

Pires is set to miss the World Cup finals and Arsenal's march to the Premiership title over the next five weeks with a knee injury but Ferret says there is a "small chance" the player could be fit for the end of May.

"If we operate on him, he will never be back in time for the World Cup, but we want to keep hopes alive, even if they are very small, and Robert believes in that hope. If his ligament remains stable, then he will be able to play football soon. We will have another meeting in three weeks' time when we will decide if he needs an operation."

A second examination of the Pires' knee by Ferret in Paris last night saw the decision to send the player for immediate surgery delayed.