Noni Madueke was close to making the Arsenal squad against Sunderland but was not risked | OneFootball

Arsenal attacker Noni Madueke was close to making the matchday squad against Sunderland on Saturday, according to the Evening Standard.

However, the Gunners decided not to put him at risk as his recovery from the knee injury he sustained at Emirates Stadium in September continues.

The England international joined Arsenal from Chelsea in the summer and had featured in five games across all competitions before picking up the knock against Manchester City on September 21.

Madueke avoided anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) damage but has now spent almost two months out of action.

However, the 23-year-old is fully fit and raring to go, with the North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur on November 23 expected to mark his return.

Madueke started in five of the six games he featured in before his injury and will be desperate to force his way back into the Arsenal starting line-up once he returns to action.

The Gunners have done well in his absence, and they currently top the Premier League table after 11 games.

A 2-2 draw against Sunderland last weekend cut their lead at the top to just four points, and they will ensure to pick up all three points against Tottenham.

Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard are also likely to be fit and available for the derby, which would be a big boost for manager Mikel Arteta.

The Arsenal boss needs all of his top players available for such a huge game and will be hoping those on international duty return without any knock or injury.

The Gunners cannot afford to drop points against Spurs as they have Man City breathing down their necks, while the games which follow – Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Brentford and Aston Villa – must also be won.

Injuries have threatened to derail their campaign, but improving their squad depth with quality additions in the summer has come in handy, and they have eyes on the title.