Mikel Arteta has backed Arsenal winger Noni Madueke to recover quickly from his latest England disappointment.

Madueke was not named in Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures against Croatia and Spain.

That is despite the 24-year-old putting together the best run of form in his Arsenal career so far, stepping up in the absence of the injured Bukayo Saka.

Madueke has four goal involvements in his last eight matches and sent Arsenal on their way to victory over Slavia Prague in the Champions League in midweek by opening the scoring.

It has been a timely run, with Saka out with a quad injury, and it came after Madueke was also omitted from the England squad for the last international window in September.

Arteta revealed at the time that Madueke had been the best player in training after that setback, and the Arsenal boss was again full of praise on Friday as he expanded on how the winger has cemented his place in the Gunners’ side.

“What he did was go abroad and he trained,” Arteta said. “He got somebody to train and he wanted a programme. He wanted to do that. That’s Noni and that’s his mindset. He wants to get better.

“I love that action that he took because in that moment he wasn’t playing. When he’s playing and everybody’s talking about you, it’s easy to do.

“When he was in a difficult moment that time, what he did helped him to after start being in the team and make the impact that he made. I’m very happy with him.”

Tuchel said it was a “close call and a difficult decision” to leave Madueke out of his latest England squad.

Rio Ngumoha, Josh King and Morgan Gibbs-White were among those preferred in forward areas to the 24-year-old.

“That was an option for Thomas,” Arteta said. “There were so many options, he needs to make decisions. He made that one this time. That’s it. I leave it completely to him.”