The games Eberechi Eze could miss as Arsenal suffer fresh injury blow

Eberechi Eze could be set to miss a crucial run of games for Arsenal after missing his side’s Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City.

Eze has enjoyed a more prominent role in Mike Arteta’s side over the past month, starting Arsenal’s last four Premier League matches and getting on the scoresheet as the Gunners saw off Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.

However, the 27-year-old was withdrawn midway through the second half against Leverkusen last Tuesday and subsequently missed Sunday’s 2-0 defeat to City on Sunday.

Speaking after the game, Arteta suggested that Eze would need a scan to determine the full extent of the injury, but the attacking midfielder has already withdrawn from England’s squad for the upcoming international break.

And the BBC are now reporting that Arsenal could face being without Eze for a period of between four and six weeks.

After the international break, Arsenal will resume their hunt for trophies in the FA Cup, where they travel to face in-form Championship side Southampton.

A two-legged Champions League quarter-final tie is sandwiched between the visit of Bournemouth, before Arsenal make a huge trip up to the Etihad Stadium to face Manchester City in mid-April.

Home games against Newcastle and Fulham then follow at the end of April and beginning of May, which could be games which Arsenal target for Eze’s potential return.

There is also a possibility that Eze could miss both legs of the Champions League semi-final and the FA Cup semi-final should Arsenal progress in both competitions.

The two legs of the Champions League semi-final are set to take place on April 28 and May 5, while a potential FA Cup semi-final would take place on the weekend of April 25 when Arsenal are due to host Newcastle.

Eze’s absence is the latest injury suffered by the Gunners, who have had a slew of their players pull out of international duty.

Defensive trio William Saliba, Jurrien Timber and Gabriel will stay with Arsenal over the break, while Leandro Trossard has also pulled out of the Belgian squad.

Martin Odegaard has also not joined up with the Norway squad as he targets a return after the international break to potentially fill the void left by Eze.

Speaking to Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet, national team boss Stale Solbakken said Odegaard has been left ‘very frustrated and grumpy’ by his latest injury setback.

‘Now it is three weeks until Arsenal play again, or two-and-a-half weeks. I think it could be a goal for Martin to be in a squad (for his club) then. It is within reach,’ Solbakken added.

“There is no reason for him to travel now. He has to train (with Arsenal).

‘If he wants to use a day off to come here, he is welcome to do so, but it is not something that has been planned.’

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