It would be a huge boost for Arsenal if Declan Rice, who was benched in Wednesday’s 1-0 loss to Inter Milan, could start against Chelsea.
Midfielder Declan Rice, who broke his toe in last Saturday’s 1-0 loss to Newcastle, is determined to play through the discomfort.
The 25-year-old will be missing Wednesday’s 1-0 loss to Inter Milan, but he can’t wait to return for this weekend’s match against Chelsea. Despite concerns about his health, England have named Rice to their squads for their Nations League matches against the Republic of Ireland and Greece.
Before this week’s Champions League match against Inter, Rice had trouble putting on a boot and was unable to train properly, thus he sat out the match. Arsenal are crossing their fingers that their star midfielder can play in Sunday’s London derby despite playing with a broken toe.
Even though the average recuperation time for a fractured toe is four to six weeks, players like Rice are able to push through the discomfort and play through it. Since joining the Gunners for £105 million from West Ham in July 2023, the England international has missed just one game.
Arteta discussed Declan Rice’s injury before Inter’s Champions League loss, saying: “Declan unfortunately picked up an injury against Newcastle.”.
Putting on his boots was painful for him due to an injury to his foot, thus he is currently unfit. In recent days, he had been experiencing some discomfort. Thursday is when we’ll have to determine whether he’s fit to play against Chelsea.
As Arsenal keep losing, Mikel Arteta might use Rice’s availability for the match against Chelsea. Actually, Arsenal have lost their last three Premier League matches in a row, including two straight losses to Bournemouth and Newcastle.
They are now in fifth place in the league, seven points behind Liverpool and five behind second-place Manchester City, all due to their recent poor record. Arsenal won’t have the best chance to gain points on their trip to Stamford Bridge, but Arteta will be determined to lift his team and secure the result they need.