If he draws a blank once again, then the waverers among the Arsenal faithful will turn against the Gunners boss and join those who already feel his time is up.

There is a vociferous group of long-term Arsenal punters just to the left of the Press box at The Emirates. And it has been noticeable how their patience has been wearing increasingly thin.

This vociferous disenchantment reached its lowest point in January when Arsenal lost successive home games to Manchester United and Chelsea.

The over-riding feeling was the team could no longer compete with their rivals.

In short, the young side with which Wenger continually asked fans to keep faith was going nowhere. It is a conclusion with which Fabregas now concurs.

Yes, there was always going to come a time when the 23-year-old Arsenal skipper returned to the city of his birth and the club where he started his career. Everyone understands that.

They will also thank Wenger for enticing him away from the Nou Camp and giving them six outstanding seasons.

But it could have been more - had the Arsenal manager made the right moves in the transfer market two years ago.

But the more he was told he needed to strengthen the side - and, yes, with physical strength - the more entrenched he became in his dream of creating the next young, Ajax-style, European superteam.

Basically, he has grown both increasingly stubborn and frustrated.