Declan Rice has allayed fears over a potential serious injury after Arsenal's 2-0 victory over Brentford, telling reporters he was 'fine' as he left the Emirates Stadium. The 26-year-old midfielder went down with a suspected muscular problem in the closing stages of Wednesday's match, pointing at his right calf while speaking with medical staff.
Rice was unable to continue and was replaced by Viktor Gyokeres, as Bukayo Saka added to Mikel Merino's early strike to secure another convincing win for the Gunners. The incident caused concern among Arsenal fans, particularly with a busy winter schedule ahead.
However, Rice was filmed walking through the mixed zone without a limp, reassuring Sky Sports News' Gary Cotterill that he was 'fine'. It remains uncertain whether manager Mikel Arteta will risk him in Saturday's top-of-the-table clash at Aston Villa.
Arteta was less optimistic in his post-match press conference, stating: 'Obviously it's never good news. Declan had to come off. He could not carry on playing so we have to wait and see tomorrow what happens.' The Spaniard also pleaded for more recovery time, noting the quick turnaround between matches.
There was also concern over Cristhian Mosquera, who landed awkwardly and was replaced by Jurrien Timber just before half-time. Arteta confirmed the defender's injury was either to the knee or ankle, but added that the extent was unclear.
