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MICK ROBERTS STATS European Football Writer=

LONDON (SE) - Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas will lead out his team at Newcastle’s St James’ Park on Saturday despite being at the centre of a major storm.

Fabregas, 23, is alleged to have sworn at referee Lee Mason in the tunnel at half-time earlier this week when Arsenal were losing 1-0 to Everton at the Emirates.

Everton manager David Moyes who team later lost 2-1 made the allegations but there has been no question so far of any disciplinary action against Fabregas.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has backed Fabregas to emerge from the allegations with his reputation unsullied.

Wenger believes his star player is being victimised because of his eminence within the Premier League.

Wenger said: “I have been long enough in the job to know that somebody picks on you for a while and you are in the heat of the moment.

“When Cesc is on the pitch, he tries to play football. I cannot say everyone who plays against him tries to do that.”

Huddersfield players also alleged that after the FA Cup match last weekend World Cup winner Fabregas refused to swap shirts with the League One club’s players.

Fabregas, who had come on as a substitute and scored the winner, based his decision on Huddersfield’s aggressive tactics against him.

Wenger said: “I hope he does not exchange shirts with people who try to kick him for 90 minutes. Cesc did not say anything to the referee against Everton, so the story is over.”

Arsenal have announced that goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski is to undergo surgery in Germany on a damaged shoulder and will miss the rest of the season.

The Gunners will also be without the much-improved Samir Nasri who is out for two weeks with injury but Wenger’s problems are nothing compared with those of opponents Newcastle.

Manager Alan Pardew lost star striker Andy Carroll to Liverpool and then replacement Shola Ameobi cracked a cheekbone in the lifeless 1-0 defeat at Fulham in midweek where the lack of a goal-scorer was apparent.

Pardew hopes to have Cheik Tiote available for the visit of the Gunners after completing a three-match ban but loan signing Stephen Ireland will not be ready for at least another two weeks.

Leon Best and Nile Ranger will share the attacking burden against Arsenal but Pardew will be hoping for better from them than against Fulham.

Carroll’s close friend, Kevin Nolan believes Newcastle must move on from the shock of losing Carroll to Liverpool in a 35 million pounds deal.

Nolan said: “We are all sorry Andy has gone. We had hoped he would stay and help the club consolidate in the Premier League.

“These things happen in football, players come and go, and we are going to have to adjust.

“Andy is history now and for the sake of the club and the fans we have to move on and come to terms with his departure.”

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