Per Mertesacker has taken to his Facebook page to say what a ‘huge honour’ it is to be named Arsenal captain.

The decision to make him captain had seemed inevitable until Per picked up an injury that rules him out until the new year. With just one year left on his contract, many thought that Arsene Wenger would surely plump for someone else.

He did not and stuck to his usual routine of just promoting his vice-captain as he has done so many times before.

“The captain’s armband is a huge honour,” Per said on Facebook, “and gives me confidence, motivation and power.

“I know the responsibilty [sic] that comes with this assignment and I will give my very best as well during the time of my injury to be there for the club and the team. I will work hard to be back on pitch as soon as possible.”

Mertesacker’s knee will need at least another four months before it’s ready for action and he’s joined on the sidelines by Gabriel, Aaron Ramsey and Alex Iwobi.

Laurent Koscielny, Mesut Ozil, and Olivier Giroud could also miss out this weekend as Wenger looks to avoid a repeat of what happened to Ramsey on Sunday when he was brought back too soon after the Euros and is now paying the price with a four-week break to mend his dodgy hamstrings.

“I pushed Ramsey in and he got injured,” Wenger told reporters after the defeat against Liverpool.

“It’s a very difficult situation to sort out because the players come back late because of the Euros and, on top of that, you play them and they get injured. If you don’t play them you miss them.”