Arsenal’s Madueke Expected to Be Out for Six to Eight Weeks

Injury Update on Noni Madueke

Arsenal has announced that Noni Madueke is likely to be sidelined for a period of six to eight weeks due to a knee injury sustained during the recent 1-1 draw against Manchester City on Sunday. Thankfully, the 23-year-old England forward is not thought to have suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

The summer acquisition from Chelsea was substituted at halftime during the match and is undergoing tests to assess the nature and severity of the injury.

“Currently, it seems like Noni will be unavailable for several weeks, but we need to conduct another scan next week,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta commented on Tuesday. “He felt discomfort early in the game and attempted to continue but found it too painful, so we’ll see how it progresses.”

When asked if Madueke’s recovery timeline indicates weeks instead of months, Arteta expressed optimism, saying, “We hope so. As I’ve mentioned, we need to reevaluate him to understand the injury better, but the initial signs don’t appear too severe.”

Arsenal will face Port Vale in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.

Doctors are waiting for the swelling to diminish before making a definitive assessment of the injury, but reports suggest Madueke will be out for a minimum of six weeks, although this is expected to be the most favorable scenario.

This news poses a significant setback for both Arteta and England’s head coach Thomas Tuchel, given Madueke’s impressive performances at the beginning of the season.

Assuming the prognosis is accurate, Madueke won’t make a comeback until at least November, consequently missing several pivotal domestic and European matches for Arsenal.

The winger will also be unable to participate in England’s upcoming fixtures against Wales and Latvia and remains doubtful for the World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania in mid-November.

Arsenal has a match against Sunderland on November 8 in the Premier League. Should Madueke not recover in time for that game, he may have a chance to return for the essential north London derby against Tottenham on November 23.

Arsenal’s Tactical Approach Under Scrutiny

Arteta faced criticism following the draw with City for employing more cautious strategies, particularly when summer recruit Eberechi Eze was relegated to the bench in the absence of Martin Odegaard. Instead, the midfield trio included Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice, and Mikel Merino.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher drew parallels between Arteta’s managerial style and that of former Liverpool coaches Gerard Houllier and Rafa Benitez, implying that Arsenal sometimes adopts a “handbrake on” mindset reminiscent of the past Reds management.

“I’ve heard that this is the prevailing narrative, and I must say, I’m quite taken aback—considering my understanding of the game and how I analyze it,” Arteta responded.

“It was truly remarkable for anyone to anticipate such dominance from Arsenal for 96 minutes, which hasn’t occurred in Pep Guardiola’s entire 17-year managerial tenure.”

He further pointed out, “If the narrative shifts to focus on dominance, then the concept of ‘handbrake’ appears irrelevant. Dominance and having the handbrake engaged are distinct concepts. Nevertheless, I’m open to feedback and will strive to develop a broader perspective.”