Arsenal games Eberechi Eze could miss with calf injury as extremely worrying report emerges

Arsenal are reportedly fearful that Eberechi Eze could spend up to six weeks on the sidelines with the calf injury he sustained in last week's Champions League victory over Bayer Leverkusen.

The England international opened the scoring at the Emirates with a thunderous strike in that last-16 second leg, before coming off midway through the second half with what appeared to be an ankle issue.

Eze played down the severity of his problem immediately after the contest, and he was pictured in training on Saturday, fuelling the belief that he would be fit to face Manchester City in Sunday's EFL Cup final.

However, the 27-year-old was nowhere to be seen for that 2-0 defeat, and he also had to pull out of the England squad for their upcoming international friendlies against Uruguay and Japan later this month.

Arsenal have not given an official update on Eze's concern, but according to BBC Sport, the Gunners are worried that Eze will spend at least four and potentially as many as six weeks out of action.

Which Arsenal games could Eberechi Eze miss with calf injury?

In the best-case scenario, Eze will be fully operational again four weeks on from when he sustained the injury, which would put the playmaker in line for a comeback in mid-April.

Nevertheless, Eze is guaranteed to miss the FA Cup quarter-final trip to Southampton on April 4, as well as the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final clash with Sporting Lisbon three days later.

Arsenal's home Premier League showdown with Bournemouth on April 11 also ought to come too soon for Eze, but he may be ready to return for the second leg of the Sporting tie on April 15.

However, if the former Crystal Palace attacker needs a full six-week recovery period, he would also sit out that contest, the crucial Premier League clash with Manchester City on April 19, and the home game vs. Newcastle United on April 25; the latter could be moved if Arsenal progress to the FA Cup semi-finals.

If Arsenal make the Champions League semis, the first leg of that battle would also be fought on either April 28 or 29, but Eze could return in time for the London derby against Fulham at the Emirates on May 2.

Arsenal handed Martin Odegaard boost amid Eberechi Eze blow

In the absolute worst-case scenario, Eze could end up missing eight matches for Arsenal with his unexpectedly severe calf injury, including the Man City defeat at Wembley.

Arsenal's lack of creativity stuck out like a sore thumb in the EFL Cup final amid the absences of Eze and Martin Odegaard, who has been managing a flare-up of a recent knee injury he picked up against Brentford.

Odegaard was not called up to the Norway squad this month owing to his latest issue, but the report adds that there is optimism that the skipper will return just after the international pause.

Nevertheless, the playmaker has allegedly been left 'frustrated and grumpy' by his latest setback, having been restricted to just 13 Premier League starts this season as a result of his perpetual fitness problems.