Arteta Reveals Crucial Declan Rice Injury News Following Arsenal's Demolition of Aston Villa
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta disclosed that Declan Rice is "getting better" following his withdrawal from Tuesday's commanding 4–1 victory over Aston Villa due to a knee problem, though he expressed uncertainty about the midfielder's availability for this weekend's clash with Bournemouth.
The crucial midfielder for the Premier League table-toppers was unable to participate in the encounter against Unai Emery's impressive Villa side after picking up a knee knock during the Brighton & Hove Albion match three days prior.
"Declan received a heavy blow to his knee during the Brighton fixture, right at the beginning actually, and by the end of that game his knee had swollen significantly," Arteta explained before the midweek fixture. "The Villa match came too soon for him to be considered for selection."
Rice's unavailability could have proven extremely damaging. Villa began aggressively at the Emirates, consistently cutting through Arsenal's midfield that was clearly missing the influential England star. Ollie Watkins squandered an excellent first-half chance during a period of Villa dominance that went unrewarded.
The Gunners reorganized during the first half and scored against the flow of play three minutes into the second period through their tried-and-tested method: a corner kick. Notably, the set piece was earned by Jurriën Timber who, after playing a more cautious inverted position in the first half, was allowed to surge forward overlapping while the naturally defensive Piero Hincapié moved inside to provide cover in Rice's absence.
Villa crumbled after that moment. In a complete turnaround, Martín Zubimendi sliced through Villa's defense to quickly establish a 2–0 advantage before Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus completed an emphatic triumph with two strikes within 10 minutes of each other.
Apart from a late Watkins consolation goal, the primary worry for Arteta remained Rice's fitness status.
Arteta Outlines Requirements for Rice's Comeback
Arsenal's head coach was directly questioned about Rice's readiness for Saturday's journey to Bournemouth. "That remains uncertain," Arteta responded evasively. "The inflammation needs to subside completely for him to have any opportunity to perform. He couldn't manage that today, though he's showing progress. We'll monitor his condition over the coming days."
Rice observed the proceedings on a freezing Tuesday evening wearing a beanie hat from the substitutes' bench. This represents an unusual situation for a player who had featured in 35 of Arsenal's last 37 Premier League matches. Following a difficult opening period, Rice visibly celebrated his teammates' achievements. His expression reflected the amazement and wonder that swept through the Emirates Stadium when Jesus delivered an unusually precise finish.
Soon after the final whistle, Rice posted on social media to praise his teammates, stating: "This team!!!! We keep going" accompanied by three heart emojis.
Whether Rice will be ready to participate against Bournemouth remains uncertain.