How Eberechi Eze’s absence turned Arsenal’s quadruple dream into a Wembley nightmare
How Eberechi Eze’s absence turned Arsenal’s quadruple dream into a Wembley nightmare The injury setback suffered by Eberechi Eze has quickly become one of the defining storylines of Arsenal’s EFL Cup final defeat to Manchester City. It has now emerged that the attacking midfielder could be sidelined for around a month after sustaining a calf injury during the Champions League win over Bayer Leverkusen . The timing could hardly have been worse.
Eze was forced off in that match shortly after scoring and subsequently missed the Wembley final. Initial assessments suggest he could be out for between four and six weeks. Manager Mikel Arteta confirmed after the final that the club were awaiting the results of further scans before determining the full recovery timeline.
“We have to do another scan in six or seven days and wait and see the results,” Arteta explained. However, even before the final diagnosis, the impact of Eze’s absence was painfully obvious. Arsenal looked short of creativity and attacking spark against Manchester City.
Without their in-form playmaker, the Gunners struggled to find rhythm in the final third. The difference was particularly noticeable given the form Eze had been enjoying before his injury. Since arriving from Crystal Palace last summer, he has quickly become one of Arsenal’s most influential attacking players.
Nine goals and six assists underline the scale of his contribution. More importantly, his performances had begun to peak just as the season entered its decisive phase. Eze had started eight of Arsenal’s previous 10 matches and had become a regular creative outlet.