Declan Rice is set to miss Arsenal’s match against Aston Villa due to a knee injury, though the club expects a short-term recovery and the return of other key defenders.
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice is expected to miss Tuesday’s crucial fixture against Aston Villa after sustaining a knee injury during Saturday’s win over Brighton.
Despite playing through the discomfort at right-back in that match, Rice has not recovered sufficiently to feature this evening.
Club officials are opting for caution to avoid long-term damage, though the current prognosis suggests a relatively short-term absence for the influential England international.
The Gunners hope to mitigate this loss with the return of Jurrien Timber and the potential inclusion of Ben White, who is ahead of schedule in his hamstring recovery.
Kai Havertz has also been spotted with the squad following a lengthy layoff since the opening weekend.
Regarding the tactical shift, the report notes: “In Rice’s absence, Arsenal are likely to call upon the former Real Sociedad trio of Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino and Martin Odegaard.”
Aston Villa face their own selection headaches, missing Matty Cash and Boubacar Kamara due to suspension.
However, the absence of Rice remains a pivotal factor for the league leaders.
The report emphasizes the stakes, stating: “Rice has been one of the outstanding players in this season’s Premier League, so Arsenal will miss him in a game of this magnitude,” particularly when facing the threat of Villa’s Morgan Rogers.