Declan Rice in Arsenal travelling squad for Bournemouth clash
DECLAN RICE is part of Arsenal’s traveling squad ahead of tonight’s clash with Bournemouth.
The Gunners midfield maestro missed Tuesday’s 4-1 scoreline. Villa Aston with a knee problem, after being injured in the win against Brighton.
Mikel Arteta confirmed at Friday’s press conference that the Englishman remains doubtful for Saturday’s trip to the Vitality Stadium.
Asked if his injury had improved, Arteta replied: “Let’s see how he does in training today and how he feels, but Villa was too early for him.”
But SunSport understands Rice traveled to the south coast and joined the team for a walk. This morning.
Riccardio Calafiori, Cristhian Mosquera and Max Dowman have all been ruled out of Saturday’s game, while Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Jesus have all just returned from serious injuries and are therefore unlikely to complete 90 minutes.
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The Arsenal treatment room has been packed this season with William Saliba, Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka And Noni Madueke among key stars spending weeks on the sidelines.
Yet Arteta remains optimistic and insists the Gunners’ injury problems have actually IMPROVED so far this season.
He said: “Looking back over the last three seasons, we have had fewer player days missing due to injuries than before.
“We had injuries and you have to separate them. There are traumatic injuries and those that are minor injuries.
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“And we have to get better, but we’re better than some other years.”
The Gunners could move seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table with a win this evening.
On each of the five previous occasions that Arsenal have topped the table on New Year’s Day, they have failed to finish the job and win the title.
But Arteta, ignoring this statistic, vowed to ‘break’ the unwanted hoodoo.