Arsenal winger Noni Madueke is set to miss around six to eight weeks after sustaining a knee injury during Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City. The 23-year-old England international, who joined the Gunners from Chelsea in the summer, was forced off at half-time and has since undergone medical tests to assess the extent of the damage.
While the injury is considered a serious setback, initial examinations have ruled out an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear, sparing both Arsenal and England a long-term absence. Club medics are monitoring the swelling before confirming a full diagnosis, but the expectation is that Madueke will be out for a minimum of six weeks, with November the earliest possible return date.
The setback comes as a blow for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, with Madueke having made an encouraging start to life at the Emirates. It also affects England head coach Thomas Tuchel, who had been counting on the young forward for upcoming international fixtures.
Madueke will miss England’s matches against Wales and Latvia, and his participation in November’s World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania remains doubtful. At club level, the attacker is set to miss key Premier League and European fixtures, including the November 8 clash with Sunderland. If recovery goes well, he could make his comeback in the highly anticipated north London derby against Tottenham on November 23.
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