Bacary Sagna Injury: Updates on Arsenal Star's Knee

Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna was forced to miss a victory over Aston Villa last weekend due to a knee injury. He will remain sidelined for the Gunners' North London derby clash with Tottenham on Sunday, according to the club's official site.

Manager Arsene Wenger said the right-back still hasn't had enough time to fully recover after suffering a knock in a Champions League encounter with Bayern Munich earlier in the month. He didn't provide a timetable for his return to the lineup.

The Gunners were hoping Sagna would be ready for the crucial match against Tottenham. They are looking to steal all three points at White Hart Lane in order to provide a major boost to their chances of finishing in the top three.

It's a task that becomes more difficult without the France international's steady play at the back. His presence would have been a welcome addition as the Gunners attempt to figure out a way to slow down Gareth Bale, who's been on a tear lately.

Instead, that task will now likely fall on the shoulders of Carl Jenkinson. Although the 21-year-old rising star has shown flashes of potential during his time with Arsenal, facing an in-form Bale is an incredibly tough ask.

There were already some communication issues on defense for the Gunners against Villa, who are one of the league's worst offensive teams. That doesn't bode well as they get ready to face Spurs, who sport a much more complete attack.

If nothing else, it should be a great learning experience for Jenkinson as he continues to acclimate himself to Premier League play. He's going to be under pressure early and often, and Arsenal needs him to step up if they are going to pull off the road victory.

In the meantime, Sagna will keep working his way back to full strength, which the club is hoping will arrive sooner rather than later.