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Arsenal are still waiting to learn the full extent of Martin Ødegaard’s ankle injury but their captain is expected to be out for at least three weeks, meaning he will miss Sunday’s north London derby and the trip to Manchester City on September 22.
Ødegaard left the pitch in tears after a tackle from Christoph Baumgartner in Norway’s win over Austria on Monday night and was pictured on crutches on Tuesday as he returned to Arsenal for further tests, with the Norwegian Football Association saying he had suffered “a serious ankle injury”. The 25-year-old is understood to have had a scan and will be examined further by Arsenal medical staff as the bruising clears.
Related: Nations League: Martin Ødegaard forced to leave the field due to injury
But even though Norway team doctor Ola Sand revealed that an initial MRI scan showed no fracture, he is likely to remain out until at least the end of September and miss Arsenal’s opening Champions League game against Atalanta and the visit to City three days later.
“This kind of ankle injury often takes at least three weeks,” Sand told Norwegian newspaper VG. “What we have got so far from the MRI in London is that there is probably no fracture in the ankle. It is always a bit difficult to interpret an MRI scan when you have an old injury, but Arsenal are almost certain that there is no fracture, but it could still take some time.”
Ødegaard’s absence means Mikel Arteta will be without three key midfielders for the game against Tottenham on Sunday, with new signing Mikel Merino likely to be out for two months with a fractured shoulder and Declan Rice suspended after his red card against Brighton.
Jorginho, who signed a contract extension in May but has yet to play this season, is expected to start alongside Thomas Partey, while Arteta could also opt to move defenders Jurriën Timber, Oleksandr Zinchenko or striker Kai Havertz into midfield. Summer signing Riccardo Calafiori had to return early from his international with Italy after a clash with France’s Ousmane Dembélé, but is expected to be in contention against Spurs.
For the first time since 1986, Arsenal will not be allowed to wear their home kit in the match after Professional Game Match Officials Ltd ruled it featured “too much white”. Arsenal’s players will instead wear their black away kits, while Tottenham will also wear different colours for the return leg in February.
The Premier League’s independent Major Match Incidents Committee has unanimously backed Chris Kavanagh’s decision to send off Rice against Brighton, with the England midfielder receiving a second yellow card for delaying the restart of play.
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