Arsenal expects striker Eduardo da Silva to return to action after his leg injury within nine months.

The Premier League leader said Monday that the Croatia forward, who was hurt in a tackle by Birmingham defender Martin Taylor, had fractured his left fibula and sustained an open dislocation of his ankle joint in the same leg.

There were fears that the career of the Brazilian-born player, who turned 25 Monday, might be over when he was carried off the field during Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Birmingham on Saturday.

Arsenal said Eduardo’s leg will be in plaster for at least six weeks and that he may be able to run within six months - ruling him out of the June 7-28 European Championship and the start of next season.

The injury was so bad that some teammates, including Emmanuel Adebayor, were too distressed to look at it.

The incident happened about three minutes into the game at St. Andrews. Eduardo lay on the field for more than eight minutes before he was carried off. He is still in a London hospital, having been transferred from a hospital in Birmingham, where he had surgery on Saturday.

Taylor was sent off but has visited Eduardo to apologize.