Arsenal‘s growing injury crisis has deepened with the news that winger Noni Madueke is expected to miss approximately two months of action due to a knee injury. The summer signing, who had quickly established himself as a regular starter for Mikel Arteta’s side, suffered the setback during the first half of Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City, adding to a growing list of concerns for the manager.
Madueke had started five consecutive matches across the Premier League and Champions League before what Arteta described as “an issue very early in the match” forced him off at halftime.
Two-month timeline confirmed
According to a report by The Athletic, a scan on Monday revealed damage that points towards a two-month absence, which could rule the 23-year-old out until late November. The one positive aspect of the news is that he has avoided a more serious, season-ending ACL injury. The two-month layoff could see Madueke miss as many as 10 games for Arsenal, as well as four international fixtures for England.
Key fixtures Madueke will miss
| Date | Fixture | Competition |
| Sep 24 | Port Vale vs. Arsenal | Carabao Cup |
| Sep 28 | Newcastle vs. Arsenal | Premier League |
| Oct 1 | Arsenal vs. Olympiacos | Champions League |
| Oct 21 | Arsenal vs. Atlético Madrid | Champions League |
Ødegaard provides update on shoulder issue
The injury to Madueke compounds existing problems for Arteta. Captain Martin Ødegaard, who missed the Man City clash, provided an update on his own recurring shoulder problem in the club’s matchday programme. “My shoulder was very sore, but I’ve just been taking it day by day,” he said. “It’s the same shoulder I hurt in the Leeds United game, pretty much the same injury, so just really bad luck.”
Madueke’s injury serves as the first major test of Arsenal‘s much-lauded new squad depth. While the return of Bukayo Saka provides immediate cover, the consistent loss of key players could threaten to derail their campaigns if the trend continues.