Martin Ødegaard to miss six weeks with knee injury with a return date set for November’s north London derby.
Arsenal expect Martin Ødegaard to miss six weeks with knee injury.
Martin Ødegaard’s knee injury before the international break is expected to keep him out of action for another six weeks, according to Arsenal.
After a collision with Crysencio Summerville during the first half of Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over West Ham, which put Mikel Arteta’s team atop the league, the captain went down holding his left knee. After receiving treatment, Ødegaard made two attempts to continue before Martín Zubimendi took his place. According to Arteta, the 26-year-old had departed the field with his knee in a brace.
Tests revealed Ødegaard had suffered damage to his medial collateral ligament, according to Arsenal last week. As a result, the midfielder was left out of Norway’s team for their 5-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Israel on Saturday and their friendly match against New Zealand on Tuesday.
Although surgery is not believed to be necessary, it is assumed that he won’t be able to return before the upcoming international break, which begins on November 10. He would miss seven games as a result: a Carabao Cup encounter against Brighton, Champions League games against Atletico Madrid and Slavia Prague, and Premier League games against Fulham, Crystal Palace, Burnley, and Sunderland.
In the north London derby against Tottenham on November 23, Arsenal hopes that Ødegaard, who has missed games this season due to a shoulder ailment and was sidelined for nearly two months last season due to an ankle condition sustained while playing for his country, will make a comeback.
In recent weeks, England Under-21 attacker Ethan Nwaneri has shown that he can fill in as well as Eberechi Eze, who has been filling in for Ødegaard in a creative midfield role.
Ødegaard will be on the sidelines alongside Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, and Noni Madueke. After this international break, Piero Hincapié, the summer acquisition who has only made one substitute appearance, is anticipated to recover from a groin ailment.