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LONDON, Feb 6 - Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere needs to "master his own life" after being pictured this week holding a shisha pipe at a London night club, his manager Arsene Wenger said on Friday.
The England international, who has not played since November due to injury, had been photographed smoking on two previous occasions.
"I have spoken with him about that -- he is not a smoker," Wenger told reporters the day before the north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur.
"He is sorry about what happened, but he has to master his own life.
"When he is here, he has to follow the rules. This photo has been taken at half past 12 after the Superbowl (at the weekend).
"I don't know what happened really. Away from the club, it is his responsibility to master his life.
"Today, everywhere you go people make photos, but one second of your life does not define who you are."
Wilshere responded to the photo by posting a video of himself on his Instagram account working hard in training.
"Worry about your character not your reputation, because your character is who you are and your reputation is only what people who don't know you think about you," Wilshere wrote.
Wilshere was photographed smoking outside a London nightclub in October 2013 and again at Las Vegas pool party last year.
The 23-year-old, who is recovering from an ankle injury, will miss Saturday's match at White Hart Lane along with Arsenal's in-form striker Alexis Sanchez who has a hamstring injury.
"It's not easy to tell him he's not playing. He wants to play -- he's so keen," Wenger said of the Chile striker.
"But we have enough offensive power. We don't need to worry about being short on that front."
Danny Welbeck is due to return to the starting lineup after a month out with a thigh injury for what is traditionally one of the most keenly contested fixtures of the season.
Arsenal make the short trip to White Hart Lane lying fifth in the Premier League, one place and two points ahead of Spurs who are also in good form.
Wenger downplayed the importance of being the away team.
"In the derbies the home ground is not too significant. We just focus on the quality of our game and performance," he said.
Arsenal have only won at Spurs once in the last six years -- last season's 1-0 victory -- and have only been beaten at home by Spurs once in the League since 1993.
