Wenger calls for 'study' of injury claims

Arsene Wenger has called on Fifa and Uefa to punish players who claim injury to miss friendly internationals and then immediately play for their clubs. The Arsenal manager, speaking in the wake of England's 2-1 victory over Germany in Berlin, which was achieved without eight regular first-team players, called for a "study" to be carried out by football's governing bodies, who should then urge national associations to enforce the rules.

"You can go to the biggest specialist in the world and you can say you have pain in your Achilles," Wenger said yesterday. "He can do three scans and say there is nothing, you say you have pain and he will have to believe you. But I do not accuse Rooney or Gerrard of having nothing but you have plenty of people in Europe who have not played this week."

Steven Gerrard was at the centre of a row between Fabio Capello and Liverpool earlier this week after the England manager insisted on enforcing the rules allowing the Football Association's own doctors to examine the player and not simply rely upon the club's word. Capello stated that this would be the way forward in future.

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Arsenal have also been the victim of losing a player because of international duty with Theo Walcott undergoing surgery after dislocating his right shoulder. He will be out for three months and although Wenger admitted the loss was a "blow", he also said he did not blame Capello. "I don't know the circumstances of his injury," Wenger said of Walcott. "I haven't seen him because he came straight back to the surgeon and had surgery today. He copes quite well and I'm amazed how he deals with it. This time it's a bit of a blow because he's just taking off and it's an important part of the season."

Instead, Wenger concentrated his anger on attacking those who failed to play for their country – and for the scheduling of international matches in the middle of a busy autumn schedule. "What I want is for it to be the same for everybody with injuries and the national team," he said. "If a player is injured, he shouldn't need to report if he's on crutches. If you sub him during a game you want to win, you know he's injured. There is a rule that says you cannot play the next game for your club if you miss your country's game because of injury."

There is, indeed, a rule already in place although it is only enforced if the relevant national association complains about the missing player – which the FA has not done this week because Gerrard's injury is genuine and will mean he misses this weekend's match at home to Fulham.

Wenger also stressed his annoyance about the timing of this latest game in Germany. He said: "Because of the fixtures there is an encouragement for the players to turn half up. You have to ask if the fixtures are wrong or the players, I think the fixture is wrong."

Arsenal could pursue the FA for compensation because of the injury, which would amount to more than £1m, but Wenger said yesterday that "the thought had not entered my head" to go down this route.

The England squad returned from Germany in the early hours of yesterday morning with Capello hailing his first 10 games as manager as a perfect year. The only significant concern for him is the lack of cover for the goalkeeper David James, which means – after Scott Carson's unconvincing display – that he will be even more anxious to try out Joe Hart and Ben Foster, although the latter has to find first-team football.

National service: Players injured on duty

Gareth Bale Tottenham full-back doubtful with a back strain.

Dimitar Berbatov Misses trip to Aston Villa with thigh injury.

Theo Walcott Dislocated shoulder in training, out for three months.