Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice suffered a broken toe last weekend, in the surprising loss to Newcastle United, but he overcame it to play on Sunday. Rice started today’s score draw with Chelsea, playing until the 71′, when he was subbed off for Mikel Merino due to an unspecified injury.
Bukayo Saka earned a starting assignment, but limped off in the 80′.
It sort of sounds like both will be left out of the England squad this FIFA window. Let’s take a look at the latest updates surrounding this talented duo, as well as the rest of the Gunners injury situation.
Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka
Asked by a reporter if Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka will be joining up with the rest of Three Lions this week, Arteta responded: “It doesn’t look good, because for two players of that importance to tell you they cannot continue in the game, obviously it’s not good news.
“[They are] two players that just came off, I don’t know whether to expect them to be fit because if [they are] they don’t come off,” he said.
Martin Odegaard
The club captain is back fit, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll be joining up with Norway or not this international window. He may not be risked.
Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kieran Tierney and Riccardo Calafiori
All three of these long term injury absentees could be in the mix for Arsenal’s next game, on the 23rd.
Arteta, in his media opps after the Chelsea draw today, lamented the overall fitness situation of the club, this season. He expressed his hope that things will get better, and be closer to optimal, after the November internationals:
“What I’m praying is that after the international break we have the team fully physically equipped. That they are available and that they are fit because it’s been a nightmare for eight weeks.
“Doubt after doubt, issue after issue, not only with the ones that are not able to play, but with the ones who are able to play only for certain moments and not able to play.
“So I’m just asking that, because the desire the team has and how much we want it there’s no question. It’s going to come. We just need that on our side to be more consistent.”
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America and RG.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.