Mkhitaryan out with knee ligament damage, but could return this season

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger revealed that January newcomer Henrikh Mkhitaryan will be out of commission for at least three matches with knee ligament damage, but could return in time for the end of the season.

The Armenian picked up the injury on the hour mark in Thursday's 4-1 win over CSKA Moscow in the first leg of the Gunners' Europa League quarter-final matchup, and underwent a scan on Friday. After Sunday's 3-2 win over Southampton, Wenger ruled out Mkhitaryan for Arsenal's second-leg meeting with CSKA this coming Thursday, as well as league tilts against Newcastle on Sunday and West Ham the weekend after.

"Mkhitaryan has medial knee ligament damage," Wenger said, as quoted by the Evening Standard. "He will not be available for Thursday, Newcastle away, or West Ham the week after. He will miss these games but could still play at the end of the season."

While Wenger will certainly miss Mkhitaryan's presence in the aforementioned matches, a 4-1 lead over CSKA Moscow presents the Gunners with a pretty clear path to the Europa League semi-finals.

And as Armenia did not qualify for the 2018 World Cup, Mkhitaryan will also have the entire summer break to recover from the injury.