Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had confirmed that youngster Ethan Nwaneri suffered a bad injury due to which he was substituted at half time against Brighton and Hove Albion.
The Gunners missed the chance to reduce the gap at the top, and the injury further adds fuel to the fire. Nwaneri was one of their brightest players, with many expecting him to play a vital role in the absence of winger Bukayo Saka.
The England U21 international fared well in the victory against Brentford. Arteta decided to pick him in the starting XI against the Seagulls, and the 17-year-old rewarded the manager’s trust by scoring the opener.
However, he was soon substituted at half-time, with many predicting that the attacker was taken off as a precautionary measure. The Hale End graduate received a yellow card for time-wasting in the first half, and it was possible that Arteta decided to protect him from a potential red later on in the game.
But the Spanish boss has now revealed the reason behind his premature departure from the field, stating that Nwaneri sustained an injury, and it doesn’t look good. Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, he said:
“Really bad news because I think we’ve lost him; we had to take him off at half-time with some muscular issues.”
”’Unfortunately I think we lost him as well”
Mikel Arteta provides an injury update on Ethan Nwaneri after he suffers a muscular injury 🤕 pic.twitter.com/ZJKIgaS3Lw
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) January 5, 2025
HOW WILL NWANERI’S INJURY AFFECT ARSENAL?
Nwaneri’s absence will hurt them as much as their failure to pick all three points vs Brighton. The North London outfit could have moved to just four points behind leaders Liverpool since their fierce rivals also drew against Manchester United.
But it was a frustrating performance from Arsenal. They need to capitalise on their opponent’s mistake and keep them on their toes. Arteta has a strong squad at his disposal, but the right-wing position remains unstable.
Saka, Raheem Sterling, and now the young midfielder’s absence put them in a tough spot. Arsenal have seven games to play this month, and it remains to be seen how they will cope with this issue.
They might shift Gabriel Jesus or Gabriel Martinelli into that role at the moment. The importance of a new backup winger is increasing as we head to the January transfer window. But for now, the big question that needs to be asked is for how long Nwaneri is sidelined.
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As per Arteta, it’s a muscular issue, but the type and extent of the injury are yet to be known. We hope that he returns as soon as possible and eases the burden on the club as they move towards a busy post-festive period.
