Arsenal sustain major injury blow likely to rule out superstar from Manchester City showdown

Manchester City are likely to take on Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium without the challenge of Martin Odegaard in Mikel Arteta’s system due to an injury.

The two Premier League title rivals are just two fixtures away from meeting for the first time this season, and the first time since Manchester City emerged on top in last season’s battle via a final day victory over West Ham United.

Between now and then, Manchester City take on Brentford in the Premier League, as well as Inter in the UEFA Champions League’s League Phase in a repeat of the 2023 Final of the competition which marked the club’s first victory thanks to a solo Rodrigo goal.

Pep Guardiola will be hugely boosted by the fact that Manchester City appear to have emerged from the international break largely injury-free, with the exception of Nathan Ake and a serious problem sustained with the Netherlands.

The same cannot be said for Arsenal and their main players crucial to Mikel Arteta’s system, with the Spaniard left sweating on the fitness of the club’s on-field leader following duties alongside Erling Haaland with Norway.

As relayed by The Telegraph, Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard looks likely to miss the club’s Premier League meeting with Manchester City later this month after the Norwegian national team doctor suggested the player could be ruled out for “at least three weeks”.

The Norwegian playmaker is due to have further tests on an ankle injury on Wednesday, having sustained the problem during international duty, leaving the player visibly distraught and in significant pain.

Norway’s national team doctor Ola Sand reassured Arsenal supporters that Odegaard has “probably” not suffered an ankle fracture, but did tell Norwegian outlet VG, “Such ankle injuries often take at least three weeks.

“Anything other than that is just a bonus. Then it can take longer. Ankle injuries are very painful right away. With Martin, it was extremely painful. He became very worried. What we’ve so far obtained from MRI examination in London is there is probably no fracture in the ankle.”

As for Manchester City and Nathan Ake, the Premier League champions are yet to find out the full severity of the versatile defender’s injury, with the Dutchman clutching his hamstring after running for a loose ball, subsequently withdrawn via assistance from a stretcher.

Netherlands head coach Ronald Koeman said after the 2-2 draw with Germany that Ake appeared to have sustained a ‘muscle injury’, however a complete diagnosis was absent during the immediate aftermath of the fixture.

Nathan Ake will now return to Manchester for further assessment and testing on the problem, with Pep Guardiola likely to provide a more detailed update on the injury when he faces the media on Friday afternoon.