Arsenal have suffered more than most clubs from extensive injury problems this season and, yesterday, their latest update from the medical room offered a predictable mixture of good and bad.

Eduardo da Silva is to make his comeback from a broken left fibula and dislocation of his left ankle with the reserve team next week, but Tomas Rosicky will have to wait another three months at least as he recovers from hamstring problems.

Eduardo, the Croatia striker, suffered his injury in the 2-2 draw against Birmingham City at St Andrew's in February in a challenge from Martin Taylor, the Birmingham defender. Such was the horrific nature of the break, it was initially feared that it might end his career.

However, he has made steady progress and has returned to full-time training. With Arsène Wenger limited in his attacking options, it is a welcome development. “Eduardo will play on December 16 [against Portsmouth] in the reserve team,” the Arsenal manager said.

Rosicky, the Czech Republic midfield player, has not played since hobbling off in the ninth minute of the FA Cup fourth-round tie against Newcastle United in January, which Arsenal won 3-0. He had surgery on a hamstring tendon in Germany a month ago and will return to England next week to continue his rehabilitation.

“He's doing rehab at the moment but he's back here on December 17 and then hopefully, we can start to work with him,” Wenger said, “but it's a long-term prospect, maybe March at the earliest.”

Wenger's attention is focused on the Champions League this week, with Arsenal, having already qualified for the last 16, facing Porto tomorrow night in their final match in group G.