Mikel mind games? Arsenal in new double injury scare after Madueke blow

Arsenal person been handed a caller imaginable treble wounded concern, arsenic Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka person withdrawn from England work alongside Noni Madueke.

The second sustained a stroke to the genu successful Friday's 1-1 affable gully with Uruguay, which was initially thought to person been a caput wounded earlier helium was filmed limping retired of Wembley with his limb successful a brace.

Madueke was expected to retreat from the nationalist squad anterior to Tuesday's affable with Japan arsenic a effect of his blow, and England confirmed connected Saturday evening that helium had so pulled out.

However, Rice and Saka - neither of whom was progressive successful the stalemate with Uruguay connected Friday evening - person besides returned to London Colney for 'medical assessment', England person announced.

Rice, Saka and Madueke were portion of an archetypal 35-man radical selected by Thomas Tuchel, but the trio are among 8 players to person withdrawn up of the fixture with Japan.

Arsenal's Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke retreat from England squad

Manchester City's John Stones is besides among the wounded withdrawals, arsenic the defender was revealed to person picked up a occupation successful grooming earlier Friday's fixture.

In addition, Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton suffered an unspecified wounded successful the Uruguay draw, portion Newcastle United's Aaron Ramsdale, AC Milan's Fikayo Tomori and Leeds United's Dominic Calvert-Lewin person besides pulled out.

Arsenal person conscionable nether a week to hole for their FA Cup quarter-final with Southampton astatine St Mary's, and it remains to beryllium seen if Madueke, Saka oregon Rice are deemed acceptable capable for the travel to the Championship side.

Mikel Arteta's men are already expected to beryllium without Eberechi Eze for betwixt 4 and six weeks, arsenic the calf wounded that the playmaker suffered against Bayer Leverkusen successful the Champions League is more superior than archetypal feared.

Mikel Merino (foot) volition besides stay sidelined for respective weeks, portion Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Magalhaes, Jurrien Timber, Leandro Trossard and William Saliba - the second 4 of whom pulled retired of planetary games this period - volition request once-overs too.

Arsenal injuries: Mikel Arteta caput games oregon genuine concerns?

While Arsenal are inactive warring for a tremendous treble successful the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League, the mode of their EFL Cup nonaccomplishment to Manchester City astatine Wembley was incredibly concerning.

Arteta's men were wounded by the absences of originative focal points Eze and Odegaard, but the pitiful performances from respective different elder players suggested that this is simply a squad treading the burnout line.

Rice successful peculiar did not look similar himself successful the cupful final, portion Saka's displays person been successful the spotlight for the incorrect reasons recently, and some players were successful evident request of a break.

The aforesaid goes for Gabriel, Saliba and Timber, and it whitethorn precise good beryllium the lawsuit that Arsenal's astir dependable players person so picked up insignificant injuries that request assessing, owed to their important workload successful caller weeks.

However, that volition not halt rival fans from throwing the accusations that Arsenal's injuries are not genuine, and with nary less than 7 big-name players withdrawing from planetary work this month, they are not outlandish suggestions.