Arsenal forward Noni Madueke is expected to be out of action for between six and eight weeks after sustaining a knee injury during Sunday’s 1-1 Premier League draw against Manchester City.

The 23-year-old, who joined the Gunners from Chelsea in the summer, was substituted at half-time and replaced by Bukayo Saka.

Initial fears of a serious anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) problem have been ruled out, but scans suggest Madueke faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines. 

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta confirmed on Tuesday that the winger felt discomfort early in the game but tried to continue before the pain became unmanageable. 

He added that further tests will be needed next week to confirm the extent of the injury.

Club medics are said to be waiting for the swelling to subside before making a definitive assessment, though sources have indicated that six weeks is the minimum recovery time. 

Should the timeline hold, Madueke will miss several key fixtures in both domestic and European competitions and could struggle to regain full fitness before November.

The news is a setback not only for Arteta but also for England manager Thomas Tuchel, with Madueke now ruled out of the upcoming international fixtures against Wales and Latvia. 

His availability for the World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania in mid-November also remains in doubt.

For Arsenal, the winger’s absence will be felt in the Carabao Cup clash with Port Vale this week, followed by crucial Premier League games. 

Madueke is certain to miss the match against Sunderland on 8 November, and his participation in the high-profile North London Derby against Tottenham on 23 November is uncertain.

Madueke’s injury comes at a time when he was enjoying a bright start to life at the Emirates. Arsenal will now rely more heavily on Saka and other attacking options to maintain momentum as they continue their push in both the league and Europe.