Fresh concerns have emerged over the fitness of Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice after video footage showed him discussing a knee problem following the Gunners' victory over Aston Villa.
Arteta's Initial Injury Update
Rice was forced to sit out Arsenal's emphatic 4-1 Premier League win against Villa on Tuesday after picking up a knock during the previous match against Brighton. Manager Mikel Arteta revealed the issue stemmed from a significant kick to the knee early in the Brighton game, which caused substantial swelling by the final whistle.
Speaking to Sky Sports before the Villa clash, Arteta confirmed the match came too soon for the England international. "I think so," he replied when asked if the setback was short-term. "I hope that when the swelling comes out he can function [and] he will be fine."
Social Media Footage Raises Alarm
Despite Arteta's cautiously optimistic tone, worry spread among supporters after a clip surfaced on social media platform X. The video captured Rice in conversation with Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers, another England player, in the tunnel after the final whistle.
While the audio is unclear, Rice is seen gesturing towards his knee and appears to indicate the area was still inflamed. The timing of the discussion, immediately after a match he missed through injury, has led to questions about his readiness for the weekend.
Bournemouth Trip in Doubt
When pressed on whether Rice would be available for Arsenal's upcoming trip to face AFC Bournemouth, Arteta remained non-committal. "Depends," the manager stated. "So that swelling has to come right down for him to have the chance to function. He wasn't able to do that today yet, he's improving, but let's see what happens in the next couple of days."
Rice had been deployed in an unfamiliar right-back role during his standout performance against Brighton, where the injury occurred. His absence was keenly felt, though Arteta also noted the simultaneous loss of defender Riccardo Calafiori.
Following the Villa win, Rice took to Instagram to praise his teammates, posting: "This team! ! ! ! We keep going" accompanied by heart emojis. Fans will now anxiously await Arteta's next update in his pre-Bournemouth press conference, hoping for positive news on their key midfielder's recovery.
