Arsenal receive bad news ahead of their match against Sporting Lisbon

Arsenal will be without their striker Eddie Nketiah for their upcoming UEFA Europa League tie against Sporting Lisbon on Thursday. The young forward suffered a nasty injury and is still a few weeks away from returning to the pitch.

Nketiah has been a key player for Arsenal this season, scoring four goals in the Premier League and two in the Europa League before his injury. His absence will be felt by the team, but manager Mikel Arteta is confident that they can cope without him.

Speaking about Nketiah’s injury, Arteta said telling reporters: “We have to be patient. It was a nasty injury and he has a big challenge ahead of him, it could have been worse.” He added that Nketiah was still “a few weeks away” from returning to action.

Arsenal will welcome Sporting Lisbon to the Emirates Stadium for the second leg of their Europa League round of 16 tie after the first leg in Portugal ended in a 2-2 draw. The Gunners will be looking to secure their place in the quarter-finals of the competition with a win at home.

LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 15: Eddie Nketiah of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Manchester City at Emirates Stadium on February 15, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

However, Arteta may be forced to start Leandro Trossard in the striking position since Arsenal’s other striker Gabriel Jesus just returned from an injury and might not be able to start. Trossard has been impressive for Arsenal this season since joining in January.

Overall, while Nketiah’s absence is a blow for Arsenal, they have enough quality in their squad to cope without him. The Gunners will need to put in a strong performance on Thursday if they want to progress further in the Europa League and keep their hopes of silverware alive this season.