Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes that Chelsea are the club most likely to feel the effect of the African Cup of Nations. Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue leave for the Gunners, but Chelsea will lose Didier Drogba, John Obi Mikel, Michael Essien and Salomon Kalou to the tournament.

"I believe it will be Chelsea who suffers most, though on the other hand they can buy more than anyone else to correct that," Wenger told the club's official website.

"But losing Mikel, Essien, Drogba and Kalou, that's four main players. Nobody else loses that many.

"We are just behind Chelsea and Portsmouth. But I won't use it as an excuse if we don't win the title because I've known who we will lose since the start of the season. If the players were injured, I wouldn't complain."