Mikel Arteta will be sweating on the fitness of Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice for Arsenal’s Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest. Mikel Arteta has been dealt an unfortunate hand regarding injuries this season with Saka and Rice among the latest Gunners stars to suffer fitness blows.
Both players featured in the Premier League clash against Chelsea before the November international break but were replaced during the second half due to injury. Just a few days later, England confirmed the duo were among the eight players to be withdrawn from the squad for fixtures against Greece and Ireland.
Following the 1-1 draw, Arteta offered an immediate update on both. “It doesn’t look good, because for two players of that importance to tell you they cannot continue in the game [versus Chelsea], obviously it’s not good news,” he revealed in a press conference.
Riccardo Calafiori, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney all missed the London derby through injury with fresh worries emerging on Ben White and now Leandro Trossard are all dealing with injury issues. The latter underwent a minor procedure last week with Trossard then taken off for Belgium against Israel in Nations League action.
Those five names, alongside Saka and Rice, will likely all be fighting to make themselves available to face Nottingham Forest. Arteta is expected to give a considerable injury update on Friday with hope that a few of those names can return.
Calafiori is perhaps the most likely to make it with the return date given for his minor knee injury now fast approaching. There is hope that Tomiyasu will also return following the two-week pause but he will likely be eased back into action having played just five minutes this season.
As for Rice and Saka, the Mail reported that the latter was further on in his recovery. However, there is still doubt over both players featuring against Forest with new reports over Rice emerging that suggests he may have actually broken his foot.
Given the fixtures that await, Arteta is facing a major decision over Saka and Rice. The Gunners have enough quality to get the better of Forest without that influential duo, despite their bright start to the season, however three points is desperately required given their recent form and thus Arteta would prefer to have both available.
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