Noni Madueke's promising performance for Arsenal against Manchester City on Sunday, September 21, 2025, was cut short due to an injury, leading to his substitution at halftime. Manager Mikel Arteta confirmed that Madueke "had an issue very early in the match and he wasn't well enough to continue".

Madueke, who started on the right wing, had been a key attacking threat for Arsenal in the first half, particularly causing problems for City's full-back Nico O'Reilly. Despite Arsenal trailing 1-0 at the break, with Erling Haaland scoring for Manchester City, Madueke's contribution was notable. He even had Arsenal's only shot on target, which was saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma.

The decision to replace Madueke with Bukayo Saka at halftime raised some eyebrows, but Arteta clarified that the substitution was injury-related and not tactical. Alongside Madueke, Mikel Merino was also substituted, with Eberechi Eze entering the game. Eze later played a crucial role, providing the assist for Gabriel Martinelli's late equalizer, which secured a 1-1 draw for Arsenal.

Arteta's halftime substitutions proved effective, with Saka and Eze adding fresh impetus to Arsenal's attack. When questioned about whether the changes were an admission that his initial lineup was too cautious, Arteta responded, "Not too easy to say that... It's very clear what we wanted to do. We started the game really well and completely dominated". He further explained that after conceding a goal, Arsenal regained control of the game.

The injury to Madueke adds to Arsenal's growing injury list, which already includes captain Martin Odegaard and Piero Hincapie. However, the team welcomed back William Saliba and Eze for the game against Manchester City. Arsenal faces a busy schedule with midweek Carabao Cup and Champions League matches alongside their Premier League commitments, making squad depth crucial. They are set to play against Port Vale in the League Cup on Wednesday.

Details about the specific nature of Madueke's injury were not disclosed by Arteta. It remains to be seen how long Madueke will be sidelined and whether he will be available for Arsenal's upcoming games, including their away match against Newcastle United next Sunday.