admin“BAD NEWS for Arsenal: Declan Rice Injury Saga Takes New Twist After Arteta’s Update!”
Arteta Issues Concerning Declan Rice Injury Update After Arsenal Win Over West Ham
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has shared a concerning update on Declan Rice after the midfielder was forced off during the Gunners’ 2-0 win against West Ham.
Rice, who played a key role in the victory, was substituted in the 79th minute due to a back issue and will now be evaluated by the club’s medical team.
Rice Scores Against Former Club Before Substitution
Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League after a dominant display at the Emirates. Goals from Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka sealed the three points against a struggling West Ham side.
Rice opened the scoring in the 38th minute, capitalizing on a rebound after Eberechi Eze’s effort was parried by Alphonse Areola.
It was a standout moment for the midfielder against his former club. Arsenal’s control of the match was evident in the stats, with over twice the possession of their opponents.
Saka doubled the lead from the penalty spot after Jurrien Timber was fouled by El Hadji Malick Diouf. The goal was a landmark for Saka, marking his 100th Premier League goal involvement in his 200th appearance.
Injury Setbacks Temper Arsenal’s Celebration
Despite the convincing result, the match wasn’t without setbacks. Martin Ødegaard was forced off in the first half after a knee-on-knee collision, while Rice requested to be subbed off later in the game—something Arteta described as “very unusual” for the midfielder.
Speaking after the game, Arteta said:
“He’s not alright because he asked to come off, which is not something he usually does. He had pain in his back and couldn’t continue. We’ll need to assess the situation.”
He also addressed Ødegaard’s condition:
“He had a clash and didn’t feel comfortable afterward. I just spoke to him—he’s not feeling positive about it and has a brace on. We’ve been unfortunate.
He’s already missed parts of the season due to shoulder issues, and now this. He’s a key player who gives us a different dimension, especially in attack.”
Arteta Reflects on Back-to-Back Wins
The West Ham victory marked Arteta’s 300th game in charge of Arsenal, and he acknowledged the importance of their recent form heading into the international break.
“The last two games were special,” Arteta said. “We had scars from Newcastle and West Ham in previous seasons, so we treated them as big opportunities.
Despite tough fixtures and injuries, the team has performed well. Dominating today and keeping a clean sheet is exactly the momentum we wanted.”
Will England Rest Rice?
Rice has been a vital figure for the England national team, featuring heavily in recent major tournaments and captaining the squad for the first time in March 2024.
He was also ever-present during England’s Euro 2024 campaign, where they finished as runners-up.
With England needing just five more points from their final three qualifiers to secure a spot at the 2026 World Cup, manager Thomas Tuchel may consider resting the midfielder amid injury concerns.
A win against Latvia on October 14 and another against Serbia on November 13 would seal top spot in Group K. However, England could also clinch qualification earlier if Serbia fail to beat Albania on October 11.
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