Declan Rice has traveled with the Arsenal squad to Bournemouth, raising hopes of an immediate return to action after missing the previous fixture with a knee injury.
Arsenal have received a significant boost as Declan Rice was spotted with the squad during their pre-match walk ahead of Saturday’s clash against Bournemouth.
The midfielder had been a major doubt after a knee injury sustained against Brighton forced him to miss the midweek victory over Aston Villa.
Mikel Arteta previously noted the body’s delayed reaction to the hit, stating, “The body reacts and it reacted probably more than we expected after it unfortunately.”
The England international’s presence suggests he may be ready for an immediate recall to the starting lineup, potentially replacing Mikel Merino.
Arteta had remained cautious during Friday’s press conference, noting that while the injury was poorly timed, the player’s resilience was high.
“Sometimes you get a hit and throughout the game with adrenaline and because you are warm you are able to sustain that,” Arteta explained. A win today would move Arsenal seven points clear at the top.