How Eberechi Eze’s absence turned Arsenal’s quadruple dream into a Wembley nightmare | OneFootball

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.

His stunning strike against Bayer Leverkusen was only the latest example of his growing importance.

That context made his absence at Wembley even more significant.

With captain Martin Odegaard already sidelined by injury, Arsenal were suddenly without their two main sources of midfield creativity.

Arteta was forced to deploy Kai Havertz in the number ten role.

The German struggled to influence proceedings and Arsenal rarely threatened Manchester City’s defence.

Statistics from the match reflected that lack of invention.

Arsenal produced very little attacking threat during the second half as the game slipped away from them.

It was a stark reminder of how important Eze had become to the team’s attacking structure.

Injuries at this stage of the season can derail even the strongest campaigns.

Arsenal are still competing on multiple fronts and remain in the hunt for major honours.

The Premier League title race, Champions League knockout stages and FA Cup all remain in play.

That makes the loss of a key creative player particularly concerning.

Yet there is also a measure of optimism surrounding the situation.

The international break arrives at a helpful moment in the calendar.

It allows part of Eze’s recovery period to pass without Arsenal playing competitive matches.

There is also hope that Odegaard will return to action soon.

The Arsenal captain has missed the past month with a knee injury but is expected to resume training shortly.

His return could soften the blow of Eze’s absence during the crucial run of fixtures ahead.

Arsenal must ensure that the disappointment of the EFL Cup final does not develop into a broader slump.

The team have built strong momentum this season and still possess the quality required to pursue trophies.

If Odegaard returns quickly and the squad responds positively, the setback of losing Eze may prove manageable rather than damaging.

The coming weeks will therefore test Arsenal’s depth and resilience as much as their talent.

Because if this season is to become the historic campaign many supporters believe it can be, the response to adversity will matter just as much as the brilliance that carried them this far.