Arsenal dey face fresh injury wahala as attacker Noni Madueke suffer knee problem during Champions League match against Sporting CP. The 24-year-old winger collect knock for knee after clash with Pedro Gonçalves for second half of the game. Madueke need immediate medical treatment for pitch before Max Dowman replace am.
As e stand now, the severity of the injury no clear, but manager Mikel Arteta go provide update after the match. This na second time Madueke dey deal with knee issue this season. Last month, for England friendly against Uruguay, he carry same problem wey make am wear brace for left leg.
Fortunately that time, the injury no bad as dem first fear, and Madueke return to starting lineup after international break. Despite this latest scare, the winger don start each of Arsenal last four games across all competitions.
Madueke now dey major doubt for Sunday Premier League top-of-the-table clash with Manchester City at Etihad Stadium. The attacker make him fifth Champions League start of the campaign for Wednesday quarter-final second leg against Sporting Lisbon at Emirates Stadium before injury force am off for 63rd minute.
Arsenal currently top Premier League table with six points ahead of second-placed Man City, though City get one game wey dem never play. Madueke don contribute seven goals and four assists for 35 appearances this season, but e fit miss important matches as season dey enter final straight.
Bukayo Saka sef no play for Champions League game with Sporting. Arteta explain say “It was something that he was carrying for a while. It was an Achilles issue” when dem ask am about him star player ahead of Wednesday European fixture. Saka no feature for Arsenal since middle of last month and dem need assess am ahead of Man City clash.
The title race dey hot wella for 2025-26 Premier League season. Arsenal defeat to Bournemouth last time out don open the race, and if Man City beat Gunners on Sunday, tension go high for North London side camp. But if Arsenal win or even draw for Etihad Stadium, dem go remain for driving seat.
Arteta talk say players need make themselves available and play through pain. The Arsenal boss yarn say “They are trying to do that, and we know how important availability is in this crucial period of the season. Obviously, we’ve been missing four or five starters now for weeks, which has an impact.”
The Gunners don lose three of their last four games across all competitions before facing Sporting. Ironically, Arsenal only victory during that period na against Portuguese giants for first leg of UEFA Champions League quarter-final.
Arteta add say “What we are trying to achieve is difficult, challenging, bumpy at times, and it’s supposed to be like this. So you have to confront it and what I basically said, we are trying to do something in this competition that hasn’t been done in the history of the club in 140 years.”
The Spaniard continue say “It’s the second time that we are three years in a row in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. For other clubs, that’s the daily meal. For us, no. So we value a lot where we are. We have the opportunity tomorrow to go to the semi-finals.”
Arsenal dey compete to win Premier League and dem dey strong position after 22 years without doing am. Arteta talk say “We have overcome a lot of hurdles, hurdles that were here for 140 years. So the team is doing something incredible because it’s never been done before. So we are going to go to the next step for sure.”
All eyes dey on Sunday afternoon clash for Manchester as title race dey reach crucial stage. With Arsenal lead for summit, dem suppose get enough to cross the line, but Madueke injury concern don add another challenge to Arteta squad.
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