Arsenal are going by a tough patch within the first a part of the 2024/25 season, each when it comes to type and accidents.
This season was alleged to be the one which the Gunners lastly pulled in entrance of the inevitable Manchester Metropolis, however a dangerous 1-0 loss to Newcastle United noticed them finish the weekend in fifth place, with Premier League accidents mounting.
Turning their consideration to Europe this week didn’t assist, as they adopted up with one other 1-0 loss to Inter, and Declan Rice was a notable absentee from the matchday squad on the San Siro.
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Arsenal could have felt they had been simply getting again to midfield normality, with Mikel Merino getting back from his delayed begin to the marketing campaign, and Martin Odegaard easing his method in direction of first-team minutes.
Nevertheless, these hopes could also be dashed due to information that Rice is a doubt for the Gunners’ away journey to Chelsea this weekend.
Talking earlier this week, Mikel Arteta mentioned: “Declan sadly has picked up an damage towards Newcastle. He was capable of end the sport however he wasn’t feeling good in the previous few days so now we have to evaluate him on Thursday to grasp whether or not he might be match or not for the weekend.
“It was a knock, so it’s an issue along with his foot. He wasn’t comfy with it so in the intervening time he’s not match.”
That’s the reason Rice – ranked at no.2 in FourFourTwo’s listing of the most effective defensive midfielders on the earth proper now – wasn’t a part of the Champions League loss on Wednesday night time, as he had remained in England to concentrate on his restoration.
The Arsenal boss could present an replace on Rice’s progress this week in his pre-Chelsea press convention, however head coaches, Arteta included, have a behavior of preserving their playing cards near their chests on the subject of choice points.
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FourFourTwo can’t assist however really feel barely sorry for Arsenal. First, they’ve to attend for summer season signing Merino to get his Gunners profession begin, then they lose their talisman in Odegaard and, simply as he’s returning, doubts crop up over Rice, who knits the midfield unit collectively.
The 25-year-old is likely one of the few £100 million+ males who’ve genuinely been price each penny, the box-to-box position he performs for the north London aspect is likely one of the core components that makes them tick.
Arsenal are in a tough patch, having suffered two losses on the bounce and with no Premier League win of their final three.
In a league the place each level issues, a Cole Palmer-fuelled Chelsea will not be the aspect Arteta would select to face to arrest that decline. He’ll be urging the membership’s medical employees to do all they’ll to get Rice again within the squad for Sunday’s assembly.
