Semenyo expected to miss Somalia double header after knee injury, set to miss 8 weeks

Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo is expected to miss around eight weeks of action after suffering an knee injury during Manchester City's 3-2 victory over Ipswich Town.

The 26-year-old is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines following medical assessments, with Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca indicating that the initial concerns about the injury had been more serious.

Semenyo is now targeting a return around December, a potential setback for both his club and the Black Stars as they prepare for important domestic, European and international fixtures.

The injury occurred after the Ghanaian came on as a 77th-minute substitute for Jeremy Doku during City's match against Ipswich. He appeared to be in considerable discomfort and went straight down the tunnel at the final whistle.

Medical scans subsequently indicated that Semenyo would likely be unavailable for up to two months, ruling him out of several important matches during the coming weeks.

His absence represents a significant loss for Manchester City, given his contribution since joining the club from Bournemouth. The winger has made an encouraging start to the campaign, recording two goals and three assists in nine appearances across all competitions.

City will now have to manage a demanding run of fixtures without one of their attacking options as they compete in the Premier League, UEFA Champions League and EFL Cup.

Among the matches Semenyo is expected to miss are City's Champions League meeting with AEK Athens on 20 October, their league trip to Aston Villa on 24 October and an EFL Cup round-of-16 encounter against Brighton on 28 October.

He is also expected to be unavailable for subsequent league games against Brighton, Nottingham Forest, Fulham and Arsenal, as well as Champions League fixtures against RB Leipzig and Napoli.

City's schedule continues into December, with league matches against Leeds United and Brentford and a European meeting with Barcelona also listed among the fixtures that could fall within his recovery period.

The precise timing of his return will depend on his recovery, with December identified as the target rather than a confirmed date.

For Ghana, the injury presents another concern ahead of the Black Stars' forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifying assignments.

The national team are bottom of Group C in the 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign and face a crucial double-header during the November international window.

Semenyo's potential absence would deprive Ghana of one of their most dynamic attacking players at a time when results are particularly important to their hopes of reaching the continental tournament.

His pace and attacking contribution have made him an important option for the national team, and his unavailability would leave the technical team needing to consider alternative solutions in attack.

The November international window, scheduled for 10-18 November, falls within the period in which the forward is expected to be recovering from his ankle injury.

Ghana will therefore have to prepare for their qualifiers without assuming that Semenyo will be available, while monitoring his progress towards a possible return in December.

The setback comes after the forward's promising start at club level, where his two goals and three assists in nine appearances have demonstrated his contribution since arriving from Bournemouth.

Manchester City will hope his recovery progresses without complications, allowing him to return to action as the season enters a demanding period.

For now, both club and country face the prospect of being without the Ghanaian for several weeks, with his rehabilitation expected to determine when he can resume competitive football.