English-Nigerian winger Noni Madueke sidelined for two months with knee injury

Arsenal’s injury problems have deepened after winger Noni Madueke was ruled out for several weeks with a knee problem, a development manager Mikel Arteta will regard as another major setback.

The 23-year-old was forced off at half-time of Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium and replaced by Bukayo Saka shortly before Gabriel Martinelli’s late strike rescued a point for the Gunners.

Madueke, who is of Nigerian heritage despite representing England at international level, had only just returned to first-team action in the win over Leeds United and had been impressing with his direct running and creativity on the flanks.

His absence, confirmed by journalist David Ornstein, is a serious blow to Arsenal’s depth at a critical stage of the season as they juggle domestic and European commitments.

“Noni Madueke expected to be sidelined for around 2 months with knee injury. 23yo winger sustained problem in 1st half of #AFC vs #MCFC on Sunday but understood to have avoided anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) damage,” Ornstein reported on Monday.

The update at least offers relief that the forward has escaped a long-term lay-off but underscores the challenges Arteta faces with a growing injury list.

Madueke’s recovery timeline means he will likely be unavailable until mid-November at the earliest, forcing Arsenal to explore alternative attacking options.

Reports suggest 15-year-old academy prospect Max Dowman could be fast-tracked into the senior set-up, with Arteta said to have considerable faith in the teenager’s ability to adapt at the highest level.

The winger’s absence adds to an expanding list of casualties for the North London club, including Kai Havertz and Martin Ødegaard.