Declan Rice missed Arsenal’s 4-1 win over Aston Villa due to a knee problem but could return for Arsenal’s Premier League game against Bournemouth tonight.
Declan Rice could return from injury this evening after traveling to Bournemouth and taking part in Arsenal’s pre-match walk. The Gunners star missed the 4-1 thrashing of Aston Villa earlier this week after picking up a knee problem last weekend.
Manager Mikel Arteta has since provided several fitness updates, initially suggesting Rice could miss the trip to the Vitality Stadium. His latest assessment, released around 36 hours before the game against Bournemouth, was not particularly encouraging.
When asked if the swelling around his knee has gone down, the Spaniard said: “Hmm, not yet. We have another session today. Let’s see how he goes today, how he feels. But that match was too early for him.”
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Rice was not seen in the training photos posted on the club’s website on Friday night, but that does not conclusively confirm that he was not at London Colney.
Despite this, Rice appears to be well enough to accompany his teammates to the south coast.
According to The Sun, Rice was included in the traveling squad and was spotted on a morning walk before the Arsenal game. However, Miles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri and Kai Havertz were noticeably absent.
Signing the 26-year-old is a huge step forward for Arteta, especially with important games against Liverpool and Chelsea looming. With this in mind, he may choose not to start Rice on Saturday night.
Alternatively, he could be in the starting lineup but left early, given that he will be rested for the FA Cup and Champions League games scheduled for later this month. Rice’s participation has not been confirmed, but Arteta has confirmed that Riccardo Calafiori and Cristian Mosquera will remain sidelined.
However, Arsenal’s injury list is rapidly shrinking, with Gabriel Magalhães, Kai Havertz and Ben White all returning in the past week.
The trio’s return was preceded by Gabriel Jesus’ return after an 11-month hiatus following a serious knee injury. The Brazil international showed sharpness in his few appearances before scoring in his first start in almost a year last month.
Asked how he and Havertz could support the struggling Viktor Gokeres, Arteta said: “It helps the team and it helps the individual. I think that’s what we want: to have options in the number of games on the schedule.”
“Up until now, we haven’t had that option, so we’re looking forward to everyone participating, everyone performing, being able to change profiles, changing during the game, and being able to pick the best players who are at their best every time.”
With nine games scheduled this month, including the showdown at Bournemouth, changes to the attacking trio are very likely. Arsenal’s fixture list also includes Nottingham Forest, Liverpool, Manchester United and Leeds in the league.
The Carabao Cup semi-final first leg away against Chelsea and the Champions League match between Kairat and Inter are also coming up.
