Danny Welbeck “broke something in his ankle” during Arsenal’s Europa League draw with Sporting Lisbon on Thursday, according to head coach Unai Emery.

In a match that ended goalless, Emery confirmed Welbeck had been taken to hospital for further treatment.

Welbeck landed awkwardly after an attempt to meet Stephan Lichtsteiner’s cross in the 25th minute and immediately began to wriggle around in pain.

The striker was given oxygen on the field before being stretchered off with his right leg in a brace, as players from both sides watched on in heartache.

“The worst news tonight are these injuries,” Emery said. “We think it’s a serious injury.

“Every injury is different. He broke something in his ankle and it’s a different injury than another.

“Now he’s at the hospital and the news is at the moment we are going to wait, but we think this is a serious injury.”

The 27-year old’s former Manchester United team-mate Nani was among the first players by his side attempting to comfort a player he spent seven years with at Old Trafford.

A message of support also came in from a former Arsenal teammate Santi Cazorla, who also had his own fair share of fervent injuries at the north London club before departing for Villarreal this summer.

With the game’s intensity lost after the serious injury, neither side were able to break through as Arsenal secured the point they needed to qualify for the next round.

Welbeck’s career has been shrivelled by knee injuries, but he appeared to have conquered them, making England’s squad at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Earlier on Thursday, Welbeck had been named in Gareth Southgate’s latest squad for an upcoming friendly with the USA and Nations League encounter with Croatia.