{"id":44805,"date":"2023-03-16T17:08:43","date_gmt":"2023-03-16T17:08:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/03\/16\/eddie-nketiah-weeks-away-from-recovery\/"},"modified":"2023-03-16T17:08:43","modified_gmt":"2023-03-16T17:08:43","slug":"eddie-nketiah-weeks-away-from-recovery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/03\/16\/eddie-nketiah-weeks-away-from-recovery\/","title":{"rendered":"Eddie Nketiah weeks away from recovery"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"Nketiah
Nketiah limped off in his side’s 4-0 win over Everton in March and has not appeared since
\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah is still several weeks away from recovering from an ankle injury he picked up earlier this month, says boss Mikel Arteta.<\/p>\n

The 23-year-old scored six goals in 12 games before he was sidelined with the injury.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a nasty injury and he has a big challenge ahead of him,\u201d said Arteta.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

But Gabriel Jesus\u2019 return is a welcome boost as the Gunners prepare for a Europa League last-16 second leg against Sporting Lisbon on Thursday.<\/p>\n

Brazil forward Jesus returned as a substitute in\u00a0Sunday\u2019s 3-0 win over Fulham, coming on in the 77th minute, after a spell out with a knee injury sustained at the World Cup.<\/p>\n

And he could make his first Arsenal start since November against Sporting.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was great to see him back. You can feel the happiness of everyone,\u201d Arteta said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe missed him and now he\u2019s back. We have to manage his minutes, his involvement in the squad and the team.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s feeling good and every day he\u2019s training he says his sensations are better and better, so that\u2019s really positive,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

The attacking impetus at Fulham was provided by Gabriel Martinelli, who scored the second goal, and fellow forward Leandro Trossard, who recorded a hat-trick of assists for a side who are five points clear at the top of the Premier League.<\/p>\n

Nketiah had deputised for the former Manchester City striker until limping off during a 4-0 win over Everton on 1 March and is unlikely to be back in action until the final days of the season.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s getting better,\u201d Arteta said. \u201cHe\u2019s still in the [protective] boot. He\u2019s still a few weeks away and we need to be patient.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank God, it could have been worse. So he\u2019s not in a bad place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Arteta insisted the Europa League is not a distraction from the title race, with his side seeking to progress after drawing the first leg against Sporting 2-2 in Portugal.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe haven\u2019t had big European nights for three years. Due to Covid especially,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cTomorrow [Thursday] is the first one for a while. Hopefully, we will build a big atmosphere and enjoy with our supporters against a really good team that is going to put a big challenge in front of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n