Huge Setback!! Arsenal discover extent of Noni Madueke knee injury

Arsenal winger Noni Madueke is set to be sidelined for around two months after sustaining a knee injury.

The 23-year-old picked up the problem during the first-half of his side’s draw with Manchester City, which forced him off. Madueke moved to the Emirates from Chelsea in the summer and has made an instant impact.

Further checks have shown that he avoided anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) damage, reports the Athletic, but will still face a period on the treatment table.

Madueke has made himself a regular with some eye catching performances and Mikel Arteta claimed that his injury came about early in the 1-1 draw and was something he could push through with Bukayo Saka coming on to replace him.

Noni Madueke looks on during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Nottingham Forest. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

The Arsenal boss said post-match “No, I think he had an issue very early in the match and he wasn’t well enough to continue.” Madueke is the latest player on the club’s books to be sidelined as a result of a serious knee injury.

Kai Havertz is yet to return after surgery on a knee issue in late August, while Gabriel Jesus tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee back in January and hasn’t been seen since, which tested the club’s resources at the end of last season.

After a summer of heavy recruitment Arsenal are now better prepared to deal with Madueke’s injury and Saka’s return to full fitness is now particularly timely. Eberechi Eze was signed from Crystal Palace and appeared from the bench on Sunday with his starting hopes likely increasing.

Gabriel Martinelli has also been a huge hit recently with the Brazilian coming off the bench to score twice in the space of a week. That will further his case to start from the beginning and he’s been most effective from the flanks.

The games continue to come thick and fast for the north London outfit. They will take on Port Vale in the Carabao Cup before playing Newcastle at St James’ Park, which has proved a difficult place to go in recent years.

The Gunners then return to Champions League action with a home game against Greek side Olympiacos. That will round out three games in a week, which will be standard given the competitions they’re competing in.