Taylor Makes Eduardo Hospital Visit

Arsene Wenger and Arsenal fans alike largely seem to have calmed down from their initial demands that Martin Taylor be banned from football for life.

The Birmingham City defender was dismissed in just the third minute of Saturday's 2-2 draw with Arsenal after making a leg, shin and ankle-breaking tackle that will keep Gunners striker Eduardo out of action for around a year.

Hospital Beds

Taylor is said to be extremely distressed by the incident and has paid several secret visits to Eduardo in the Birmingham hospital. The defender has offered the Croatian an apology for the tackle and an explanation of what happened, stressing that there was no malicious intent.

Taylor tried to visit Eduardo for the first time on Saturday, soon after the game, but was unable to because the Gunners player was in surgery. He returned yesterday to speak to the striker. Eduardo is understood to have accepted Taylor's apology and last night appeared more focused on recovery than he was angry at the perpetrator.

I'll Be Back

"I’m determined to overcome this injury," he said. "I don’t remember the incident very well and it is not something I want to see again. All I remember is, when I fell, I looked down at my foot and it had turned the other way. The rest is just a blank. It’s an unfortunate situation but these things can happen in football.

"I am unsure at the moment of the extent of the injury and how long I will be out of action," he continued, "but I know that I won’t be able to play for the rest of the season or be ready in time for Euro 2008 this summer. But I’m not worried about that. My concentration and determination is on making as quick a recovery as possible.”

Eduardo has now been moved to a hospital closer to his home in London.