Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Eddie Nketiah is still unavailable ahead of Thursday night’s Europa League encounter.
The Gunners boss told football.london that the 23-year-old striker is still several weeks away from recovering from an ankle injury.
Nketiah has missed Arsenal’s last three matches and will miss Thursday night’s last-16 second leg against Sporting CP.
The Hale End graduate impressed in the absence of Gabriel Jesus, scoring six goals in 12 games prior to his ankle injury.
Arteta stressed that Nketiah is improving, but he’s still having to wear a protective boot and, as such, patience is key.
“He’s getting better,” Arteta said, as per football.london.
“He is still in the boot. He’s still a few weeks away and we need to be patient.
“It was a nasty injury and he has a big challenge ahead of him.
“Thank God it could have been worse. So he’s not in a bad place.”
Injury boost elsewhere
Nketiah deserves huge credit for stepping up when Arsenal needed him the most.
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Aaron Ramsdale recently told The Fellas podcast that Nketiah is Arsenal’s most underrated player,
The Gunners goalkeeper described his teammate as ‘incredible’.
Now, Nketiah is sadly on the sidelines, but luckily for the Gunners, he is on the mend.
More good fortune has come Arsenal’s way in Jesus returning to action.
The Brazil forward returned as a substitute in Sunday’s 3-0 win over Fulham.
Jesus came on in the 77th minute, after a spell out with a knee injury sustained at the World Cup.
Now, he could make his first Arsenal start since November against Sporting.
Likewise, Leandro Trossard is fit again, and impressed last time out with a hat-trick of assists.
In other news, Report: Liverpool target with ‘incredible’ shooting ability ‘has other plans’, unlikely to join Reds
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