Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere has admitted that it can be "difficult to stay positive" after suffering several injury setbacks in recent years.

The England international played 35 Premier League games in the 2010-11 season for the Gunners, but since then has never played more than 25 league games in a single campaign due to various problems.

The 24-year-old's latest injury is a broken leg suffered in pre-season and he was due to make his first appearance of the season this month, but his return has been delayed until mid-March.

"[My recovery is] going well," Wilshere told the club website. "I'm back on the pitch and I'm just trying to build my fitness up because everyone knows how tough it is to play in the Premier League. I'm working on it and I'm slowly getting there.

"Sometimes it's been difficult to stay positive, especially after the injuries that I've had which have been frustrating, but as the injury goes, you get closer to full fitness and you see the light at the end of the tunnel, then you start to think about coming back and getting involved in the team."

The Gunners are without a win in four league games and have dropped five points behind the pace being set by Leicester City.