The Gunners’ dream for the quadruple went up in smoke on Sunday. They lost the Carabao Cup final at Wembley against a solid Man City side. However, doubts are growing over the fitness of key players within Arsenal. Noni Madueke is now a concern following a training incident.
The training collision involving Noni Madueke before the Cup final
As per reports, Noni Madueke picked up a wrist injury on Friday before the major final. He apparently suffered the issue during a practice session after an accidental collision with a youth-team player.
Despite this, the attacker was able to take part in a light training session the next day at London Colney. In turn, the medical staff cleared him for the matchday squad. However, the injury required serious medical attention to ensure he could compete.
The club confirmed his appearance in the Carabao Cup final before the match. He was named in the matchday squad as a sub for the clash against Manchester City.
Arsenal FC
Carabao Cup final: Cameo for Noni Madueke despite injury
The match itself proved difficult for Arsenal as Manchester City ruled the second half. Madueke later arrived on the pitch in the 66th minute, replacing Kai Havertz. The Gunners were already 2 goals down as he arrived after a quick brace by City’s Nico O’Reilly.
He entered the game with heavy strapping and a cast on his left wrist to protect the injury. As per stats, he played for 24 minutes and got 20 touches while trying to spark a comeback. During his cameo, he kept a 75% pass accuracy rate and provided one key pass.
Despite these efforts, the match ended in a loss, with the scoreline being 2-0 at the end. After the final whistle, he left the stadium with the strapping still applied to his wrist.
Injury’s impact on National team duties
This knock could possibly impact the player’s future football duties for England during the international break. Thomas Tuchel named Noni Madueke as part of his latest 35-man England squad for friendlies on Friday.
As per sources, the current belief is that he will still be fine to feature despite the injury. However, the national team coaching staff will closely check the condition of the wrist before their next games. England have scheduled friendly matches with Uruguay on March 28 and Japan on April 1, both taking place at Wembley. If the medical team deems him fully fit, he remains a key option for the squad.
The coaching staff won’t likely risk his long-term fitness if the wrist does not heal fully in the coming days. But the player will certainly want to cement his place in Tuchel’s England squad ahead of the World Cup.
Growing injury crisis within Arsenal
Arsenal are currently facing a major injury crisis after the cup final. Six first-team players have withdrawn from international duty due to various injury concerns. Saliba, Timber, and Gabriel have all pulled out of their respective squads for France, the Netherlands, and Brazil. In addition, Trossard will not join Belgium due to fitness issues.
Knee and foot injuries had already ruled Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino out. Eberechi Eze has also been going through a calf injury sustained in the European tie with Bayer Leverkusen.
The availability of Noni Madueke is ever more vital for Mikel Arteta. Bukayo Saka has been having trouble with form in recent weeks, netting only twice in his last 24 games. The player can step up for Saka on the right wing and provide the needed flair.
The team returns to action against Southampton in the FA Cup on April 5. Later, they will face Sporting CP in the UCL quarter-final away leg. And on April 11 they will face Bournemouth in the Premier League.
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Souvik Bose
Souvik Bose is a junior football writer at Football Express, where he contributes articles focused on ongoing developments and discussions from the football world. His work involves covering news stories, key talking points, and the narratives that shape how fans engage with the sport.At Football Express, Souvik focuses on delivering football coverage that is timely, informative, and accessible to readers following the game closely. His writing reflects a deep interest in the evolving culture of football and the stories that emerge around the sport’s biggest moments.
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