Vermaelen picked up an injury to his left ankle in the Gunners’ Champions League qualifier against Udinese, and did not play any part in the club’s 8-2 capitulation at Old Trafford against Manchester United as a result.

Vermaelen’s father said his son flew to Sweden to have surgery on the problem on Monday. He told Sporza: “The doctor in Stockholm, where Thomas was operated on last time too, recognised the problem now. He would not take any chances and immediately operated on Thomas. He expects five to six weeks of unavailability.”

A statement on the Arsenal official website later confirmed: “Centre back Thomas Vermaelen is expected to be back in training with the first-team squad in around a month. Vermaelen has undergone a minor procedure to remove an inflamed plantaris tendon from his left ankle.

“This is the same treatment that he had on his right ankle in January this year and has nothing to do with his Achilles tendon. The action was taken after consultation with specialists who advised this was the best thing to do to prevent it becoming a persistent problem.”

The news will come as a blow to Arsene Wenger, who has recently lost Jack Wilshere for up to three months with an ankle problem, while fellow central defender Laurent Koscielny was taken from the field during Arsenal’s home loss to Liverpool.

Greater responsibility, and pressure, will subsequently fall on Arsenal’s new recruits in Vermaelen’s absence, with the likes of Mikel Arteta, Yossi Benayoun, Andre Santos, Park Chu-Young and Per Mertesacker all making the move to the Emirates shortly before the close of the summer transfer window.

Arsenal will host Swansea on Saturday as they aim to get their Premier League campaign back on track.

Manchester City have ended one of the summer’s long-running transfer sagas by completing the signing of midfielder Samir Nasri from Arsenal. Nasri, 24, has signed a four-year contract at the Etihad Stadium after City forked out a fee thought to be around £24 million. The France international is in line to make his debut in Sunday’s clash against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane, where he will wear the No. 19 shirt for Roberto Mancini’s side.

For Mancini, the capture signals the end of a five-year pursuit of Nasri. He told the club’s website: “He’s a fantastic player because he has technique, he has mentality.

“I knew him when he played for Marseille. I followed him when I was at Inter and we wanted to take him five years ago. But I think in the last few years in the Premier League he’s improved a lot. Now I think he’s a top player.”

Although Nasri featured in Arsenal’s second Premier League game of the season – a 2-0 defeat at home to Liverpool – his exit has looked likely for months, as he refused to extend a contract that was due to expire in summer 2012.

Reports suggest he was offered £90,000-a-week to stay with the Gunners, but had his head turned by the promise of greater riches and a better chance of winning trophies in Manchester.

He joined Arsenal in 2008 from Marseille and, after two patchy seasons, was arguably their best player during 2010-11, scoring 15 goals and performing well enough to earn a spot in the Premier League Team of the Season.

Nasri becomes the second Arsenal player to quit the Emirates for City since May, following in the footsteps of Gael Clichy, who made the switch during July. The FA Cup winners have also brought in Sergio Aguero, Stefan Savic and Costel Pantilimon this summer as they prepare to embark on an inaugural season in the Champions League.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is expected to use the cash generated from the sales of Nasri and Cesc Fabregas to bolster his side’s midfield, having admitted they look light in that department.

However, he has stopped short of guaranteeing he will make a purchase, adding the caveat that he has already signed Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gervinho, both of whom can operate in Nasri’s position on the left of a three-man attack.

The Gunners’ financial health also hinges on whether they can make it through a Champions League qualifier against Udinese on Wednesday. A depleted Arsenal side heads to Italy aiming to protect a one-goal lead.

Manchester United have now gone 22 games unbeaten at home and whilst Tottenham threatened more than once, after a scoreless first-half United increased the pressure and deservedly scored three goals.

The first period was evenly contested with end-to-end action with Spurs in particular keen to test out United’s rookie keeper David De Gea from distance.

And whilst there may have been some merit to this tactic it relied on more accurate shooting than that provided by Rafael Van der Vaart.

Both keepers needed to make smart saves in the first 45 minutes but after the break it was Spurs stopper Brad Friedel who came under the most pressure.

Danny Welbeck headed the host’s into the lead with a header just on the hour from Tom Cleverley’s inviting right-wing cross.

This lead was doubled after a flowing move ended with Anderson firing home after a cheeky back-heel from Welbeck set up the Brazilian.

Spurs hit-back almost immediately with Jermain Defoe‘s volley hitting the post via a slight deflection off Chris Smalling.

Wayne Rooney then missed a sitter from point-blank range but redeemed himself with three minutes remaining by heading home a Ryan Giggs cross, as United begin the season with successive victories.

Referee: Lee Probert

Venue: Old Trafford

Attendance: 75,498

Man Utd scorers: Welbeck 61, Anderson 76, Rooney 87
Tottenham scorers:

Yellow cards: Evans (MU), Dawson (TOT), Defoe (TOT)

The Frenchman has come under pressure from Gunners fans following a difficult start to the season, which has seen Arsenal pick up one point from their opening two Barclays Premier League fixtures.

Asked if he thought Wenger should continue at Arsenal, Capello said on Sky Sports’ Goals on Sunday programme: “I hope he will stay on, I have a good relationship with him, he’s a really good manager, but it’s not a good moment, it’s difficult after six years without a trophy for such an important club like Arsenal.

“I think he needs to buy some new players, some important players, but it’s difficult to find top players at this moment, because the best players are playing with important teams, teams who want to win.

“I think Arsenal have got money but it’s difficult to find top players to improve the team. Because if you spend the money buying normal players, it’s not good, you need to spend money to improve the team.”

A late volley from Lionel Messi gave Barca a 3-2 victory (5-4 on aggregate) in a second-leg match that saw three players sent off, Cesc Fabregas hacked down on his debut and Mourinho involved in ugly scenes on the sidelines.

The Real coach has become a controversial figure in Spain, just as he was in England and Italy, and a bad-tempered run of five ‘clasicos’ last season, in which his side had four men sent off, continued in the traditional curtain-raiser to the Spanish season.

A brutal challenge from Marcelo saw the Real defender dismissed in the closing moments of the Supercopa, which was followed by a huge melee involving players, substitutes and staff from both sides, with Mesut Ozil and David Villa both shown red despite having already been substituted.

Mourinho, meanwhile, may come under scrutiny for his role in the fracas as he was pictured heading towards Barca coach Tito Vilanova and making contact with his face. Vilanova responded by pushing Mourinho, who walked away grinning.

After the game, a fuming Pique railed at Madrid’s conduct. “I do not talk about the brawl. But it’s a shame, it is not the first time and it’s always the same,” the Barca defender said.

“Someone has to take action on the matter. Mourinho is destroying Spanish football. There is talk about the Catalans, but the problem is with Madrid. I think it’s going too far. It cannot always end well. In the end this will end very badly.”

Mourinho’s opposite number Pep Guardiola did not wade into the issue but had a word of caution for those involved in the tense atmosphere on the pitch.

“The images speak for themselves,” he said. “We must be careful, because one day we will cause harm, not on the field but off, and we’re all a little responsible for this. ”

This time, as quoted by Marca, Santos’s star player reveals his intention to the Barcelona defender Daniel Alves.

Both are a team player in the Brazil squad. To Alves, Neymar claimed to want to move after appearing on stage the Copa America.

“I do not know anything about Barcelona,” said Neymar to Alves.

“All I know next season I will play for Real Madrid,” he said.