Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has admitted he is still uncertain whether midfielder Declan Rice will be fit for Sunday’s Premier League showdown against Chelsea.
Softfootball understands that Rice remains a major fitness concern after missing Arsenal’s 1-0 UEFA Champions League defeat to Inter Milan on Wednesday due to injury.
Providing an update ahead of the London derby, Arteta revealed that the England international has yet to return to full training, making his availability difficult to determine.
The Arsenal boss explained that there is still no clear timeline on Rice’s recovery, adding that the midfielder has not trained with the squad and will continue to be assessed before a final decision is made.
Arsenal head into Sunday’s clash looking to end a run of back-to-back defeats across all competitions. However, the Gunners have received a timely boost with captain Martin Ødegaard returning from injury, making a late substitute appearance against Inter Milan after spending two months on the sidelines.
