Noni Madueke Set To Be Sidelined For Two Months Due To Knee Injury

Noni Madueke is expected to be sidelined for as much as two months through a knee injury he sustained in the match against Manchester City on Sunday, BBC reports.

The 23-year-old sustained his injury during an Arsenal-City clash that ended in a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium.

Madueke is rightfully fitted to replace Bukayo Saka as he recovers, but this unexpected injury brings to Mikel Arteta’s attention yet another dilemma as he loses one more key attacking player.

However, the good news is that the Englishman is not thought to have suffered from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, The Athletic reported.

Madueke left the pitch at half-time and has been undergoing tests to ascertain the extent of the problem since then.

After the match, manager Mikel Arteta revealed that Madueke had faced early issues in that game.

According to sources, medics would have to wait for the swelling to subside before they can make a conclusive diagnosis as regards the injury.

As much as we know, Madueke will be out for at least six weeks, but that period of time is considered time for him to heal best before he is expected back.

The news will strike such a blow for Arsenal’s head, Mikel Arteta, and head coach Thomas Tuchel of England, given the fine way in which Madueke has started the season.

The winger has, although he has only just recently started games with the team, already started shaping up to be a favorite in the team setup by Arteta.

While he was still introduced early into Arsenal’s attack, he brought speed and skills and has helped them improve.

If the initial prognosis is confirmed, Madueke will not return at all until November at the earliest. This excludes many key fixtures that would have been available to him for Arsenal at both domestic and European levels. The timing could not have been more right, both for club and country.

The Moment everything changed

Noni Madueke as reported by BBC sport, got injured during a Premier League clash between Arsenal and Manchester City, which ended in a draw. The tie has always produced outstanding moments as both teams look forward not to lose all 3 points.

Madueke was fit and ready with confidence. Surely, he would mark his name in history, if not particularly in his own, with this match against Pep Guardiola’s star-studded City.

However, it didn’t take long for the Gunners viewers to notice that something wasn’t right in his movement.

He appeared to be running supportively with his right leg and wasn’t running the same fast routes that are so distinctive of him.

The 23-year-old did not back down during the first half as he controlled himself to play. He kept on making his trademark runs behind defenders for 45 minutes and even made a tackle before halftime.

That was the real heart of Madueke, who tried to play under pain rather than letting his team down in the first half in such a big game.

When it was halftime, Arteta took off his limping wingman, who was replaced by Bukayo Saka, who is also returning from injury.

The Injury of Madueke means that the damage had already been inflicted on Arsenal’s attacking options. The sight of Madueke walking slowly down the tunnel worried Arsenal fans.

Medical staff began assessing the injury in the dressing room immediately before early fears emerged about the seriousness of the injury. “Otherwise” raised questions about how serious it could be regarding possible ligament damage.

This created fear among Arsenal supporters, who had already seen their team face several injuries this season.

The winger started well with his few games with Arsenal, scoring twice during his first four Premier League matches.

The fans and teammates alike were impressed by his pace and his ability to make crosses. Now all of that progress will be put on hold as he recovers.

Arteta talked about the condition after the match. Madueke had his first cases of distress very early in the game, and the manager commended his player for trying to go on despite the obvious pain.

That kind of character, which made Arsenal knock at Madueke’s door for a signing in the first place, showed.

Impact on Arsenal and England

Madueke is going to miss England’s games against Wales and Latvia. He may miss World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania in mid-November.

Now, Thomas Tuchel will have to change the plans for his national team without one of his most exciting young players.

With Madueke’s absence, Arsenal faces instant and long-term problems. He indeed became a tactical element in Arteta’s attacking options.

Meanwhile, Arsenal is going to be busy in the weeks ahead with lots of fixtures piled up in the Premier League, the Champions League, and cup competitions.

Each game matters, as Arsenal are keen to improve upon their league standings this season and hopefully win a trophy. It is more than just losing a key player for a long time now; the depth of the squad shall be brought into the test.

Arsenal has a Premier League fixture on 8 November against Sunderland.

If it happens to be that Madueke is not fit to play that match and also misses the international break, then hopefully he could be back in time for the North London derby against Tottenham Hotspurs on 23 November.

That would provide him with the perfect platform for his comeback. But rushing him back would be risky, as it has always been for players.

Aside from posing a great threat to Arsenal’s European dreams, the injury now hinders Madueke from being one of the key players expected to feature prominently in Champions League games.

READ AGAIN: Why Dembélé’s 2025 Ballon d’Or Win Was the Easiest Call in Years

Recovery and Return Plans

Arsenal’s injury management is very careful. Most often, Madueke will receive the best treatment possible but will avoid any unnecessary risks. Arsenal’s modern training facilities have everything required for complete recovery.

The recovery process will have multiple stages. After resting and treating the swelling injury initially, post-swelling, physiotherapy work will commence for regaining movement as well as strength.

Additionally, mental preparation will also come into play because Madueke has to face what it feels like to be watching from the sidelines.

The club will be monitoring his progress quite closely, which will involve regular medical checks and tracking his improvement.

Thus, it is always uncertain when return dates can be set following knee injuries.

There will be possibilities of setbacks if players are allowed to progress too quickly. Patience will be the watchword for all concerned at the club.

By the time Madueke returns, he might already be quite hell-bent on amending things or making up for lost time.

Generally, going through serious injury toughens a player mentally, and it makes one appreciate those moments, whether small or big, of their careers.

The next few weeks will be a crucial week for Madueke. The medical team will be working hard to have him regain fitness again, and during this time, his teammates, especially Saka and Trossard, will have to step up in filling the gap left by his absence.