Arsenal midfield maestro Declan Rice is basically a 50/50 proposition for Saturday night’s first versus worst Premier League fixture. Rice, one of the Gunners’ many star men, has an unspecified illness, but according to manager Mikel Arteta, it doesn’t sound very serious.
“I think that he needed more of a bed than sunshine because he wasn’t feeling good at all,” Arteta said in reference to Declan Rice prior to the 3-0 win over Club Brugge.
Arsenal vs Wolves FYIs
Kickoff: Saturday, Dec 13, 8pm, Emirates Stadium, London, UK
PL Position: Wolves 20th, 2 pts Arsenal 1st, 33 pts
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“So, yeah, he will have a couple of days to rest and to get his body right. But today, already, he was very keen to be able to play. But unfortunately, he’s not.”
Given that they are a top of the table side, taking on the dead last/20th place team, it is likely that Declan Rice will simply not be risked here.
Elsewhere central defender William Saliba, dealing with an unspecified issue, is a strong doubt for the weekend league fixture. The last time Arteta spoke of him, he ruled him out of the continental clash, saying on Tuesday night:
“William is still not available.”
Arteta also gave an update on Leandro Trossard, and his undisclosed issue, on Tuesday night, stating:
“:Leo again picked another knock in an area where he had the issue, and I don’t expect that it’s going to be long, but unfortunately, he cannot be here.”
Again, he is unlikely to be risked here, given how they are playing such an inferior opponent.
And then finally, Kai Havertz (knee), Cristhian Mosquera (ankle) and Gabriel Magalhaes (groin) remain sidelined as longer-term injury absentees.
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, RG.org and Ratings.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 and the Washington Post.