Noni Madueke knee brace sparks fresh Arsenal injury fears

Arsenal have been hit with yet another worrying fitness blow after Noni Madueke limped off during England’s 1-1 draw against Uruguay at Wembley and later left the stadium in a knee brace.

The winger lasted just 38 minutes before his night came to an abrupt end, deepening concerns for Mikel Arteta’s already stretched squad.

Madueke’s injury came as he drove into the Uruguay penalty area and was caught by Rodrigo Aguirre, with strong appeals for a penalty quickly waved away. After lengthy treatment on the pitch, he briefly tried to continue but soon sank to the turf again, forcing England to replace him with West Ham forward Jarrod Bowen.

The sight of the 24-year-old leaving in a brace, with no clear update yet on the severity of the problem, could hardly come at a worse time for Arsenal. Arteta is already missing Eberechi Eze, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel, William Saliba, Jurrien Timber and Martin Odegaard during this international break.

With Arsenal nine points clear at the top of the Premier League and facing a punishing run of league, FA Cup and Champions League fixtures, Madueke’s setback adds another layer of anxiety ahead of a crucial title clash at Manchester City on April 19.