Arsenal Learn Viktor Gyokeres Injury Timeline, Return Date Revealed

Arsenal are reportedly aiming to have Viktor Gyökeres back from injury in time for the north London derby after the November international break.

The striker was substituted at halftime in the Gunners’ 2–0 victory over Burnley at the weekend and subsequently missed out on the trip to the Czech Republic, where Arsenal are set to clash with Sparta Prague in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.

Mikel Arteta gave a worrying assessment of Gyökeres’s injury ahead of the European fixture: “I am concerned because he hasn’t had many muscular issues and he had to leave the pitch. He was feeling something and that’s obviously never a good sign.”

Now, The Athletic report the Swede is set to undergo more testing and will be out until after the November international window. Arsenal are “hoping” Gyökeres will be fit and ready to start against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, Nov. 23.

Until Gyökeres returns, Arteta will have to revert to last season’s tactics and deploy natural midfielder Mikel Merino up top against Sparta Prague and likely against Sunderland on Saturday, Nov. 8 as well.

The muscular injury comes at a particularly cruel time for Gyökeres, who was finally starting to find his footing in a red shirt. After only scoring three goals in his first 11 appearances for the Gunners, the 27-year-old has found the back of the net thrice in his last three matches.

Gabriel Martinelli Also ‘Eyeing’ a North London Derby Return

Gyökeres joins Noni Madueke, Martin Ødegaard, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli in the infirmary. The latter, though, is hoping to be back available in time for Spurs’ trip to the Emirates as well.

The Athletic report Martinelli is “targeting a return swiftly” after the November international window. The winger has been sidelined since he sustained a muscle injury in Arsenal’s 1–0 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday, Oct. 26.

Martinelli was left out of Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad for upcoming matches against Senegal and Tunisia, giving the forward the necessary time to recover ahead of an action-packed holiday match calendar coming.

If Gyökeres or Martinelli suffer a setback, they risk missing not only the north London derby, but also clashes with Bayern Munich and Chelsea to close out November.