Eberechi Eze injury: The key Arsenal games he will miss and expected return date

Eberechi Eze has suffered an injury which comes as a major blow for Arsenal as Mikel Arteta’s side enters the final stretch of the season.

The 27-year-old playmaker, who has been a revelation since joining the Gunners, picked up a calf strain during the recent Champions League victory over Bayer Leverkusen.

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The injury already forced him to watch from the sidelines as Arsenal fell to a 2-0 defeat against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final last Sunday, and it has now seen him withdraw from international duty with England.

Games Eberechi Eze will miss for Arsenal and expected return date

According to BBC Sport, initial assessments suggest Eze will be out for four to six weeks. This timeline is particularly devastating given the density of Arsenal’s April schedule.

Based on a month-long recovery, Eze is expected to miss:

• Southampton (A) – April 4: A high-stakes FA Cup quarter-final.
• Sporting CP (A & H) – April 7 & 15: Both legs of the crucial Champions League quarter-final.
• Bournemouth (H) – April 11: A Premier League encounter where rotation would have been key.
• Manchester City (A) – April 19: The potential title-decider at the Etihad.

If his recovery leans toward the six-week mark, he may also miss the home clash against Newcastle United on April 25.

Arsenal medical staff are targeting the home game against Fulham on May 2 for his potential return to the matchday squad.

Martin Odegaard nearing return boost for Arsenal

In a rare silver lining for Mikel Arteta, captain Martin Odegaard is finally nearing a return to full fitness.

The Norwegian maestro has been sidelined with his own long-term issue, and his return could not be more timely.

While Odegaard may lack match sharpness, his leadership and creative vision will be vital to fill the void left by Eze.

Arteta will likely ease him back during the FA Cup clash with Southampton to ensure he is ready for the European gauntlet against Sporting.

Arsenal’s title hopes face defining period

Arsenal have already lost the League Cup final, they can not afford to bottle the Premier League which is theirs to lose at this stage.

The Wembley defeat to Manchester City on Sunday served as a sobering “wake-up call” for the North London side.

That ended the dreams of a quadruple but they can still secure the Premier League at the very least.

With City still holding a game in hand and a head-to-head fixture looming in April, the Gunners are entering a danger zone.

Having already missed out on one trophy, Arsenal cannot afford another late-season collapse.

With Gabriel Magalhaes, Leandro Trossard and William Saliba also suffering physical issues, Arteta must now prove his squad depth is sufficient to navigate the most difficult month of the season without one of his most influential stars, or risk bottling yet another Premier League title.

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