Declan Rice has emerged as an injury concern for Arsenal ahead of their Champions League clash against Club Brugge on Wednesday evening.
Arsenal Dealt Declan Rice Injury Scare
Arsenal have been dealt a triple injury blow ahead of their trip to Club Brugge in the Champions League, with Declan Rice, Leandro Trossard and William Saliba all missing training.
It is reported that both Rice and Trossard took part in light training indoors. The pair are seen as doubts for the trip to Belgium, and a final decision is set to be made on Wednesday afternoon.
The former played the entire 90 minutes in the Gunners’ 2-1 defeat by Aston Villa on Saturday afternoon, while the latter was forced off with a calf issue after being introduced at the break.
Trossard scored the goal for Mikel Arteta’s side as they looked to spark a comeback. They were unable to do so, however, as Emi Buendia’s late strike sealed all three points for the Villans.
Saliba, meanwhile, has missed his side’s last three games after picking up a knock in training.
He is now expected to miss Arsenal’s trip to Bruges, with Arteta due to provide an injury update on the defender, along with Rice and Trossard, in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
The Gunners currently top the league phase table with a perfect record, having won five from five. Last time out, Bukayo Saka and co claimed an impressive 3-1 win over Bayern Munich.
Bavarians star Joshua Kimmich was less than impressed by their display, however, as he claimed that Arsenal ‘rely on set pieces’, suggesting that their style of play is anti-football.
Regardless, they are currently favoured in the Champions League winner betting odds market.
As for Club Brugge, they are in 26th place with a record of one win, one draw and three losses.
Trio Add To Lengthy Arsenal Injury List
Rice, Trossard and Saliba add to Arsenal’s already lengthy injury list ahead of Wednesday.
Saliba’s partner in central defence Gabriel is out with a thigh issue, and Cristhian Mosquera, who has deputised alongside Piero Hincapie in defence, is out with an ankle concern.
Long-term absentee Kai Havertz remains out with a knee injury. The German has not yet returned to training but remains hopeful of being back in action before the end of the year.
Talented 15-year-old Max Dowman is also ruled out after suffering an ankle injury. Gabriel Jesus, who recently returned from an ACL injury, has replaced the youngster in the squad.
Given the number of concerns within their squad, paired with the busy festive fixture schedule, Arteta will likely look to rotate his starting lineup for Arsenal’s visit to the Jan Breydel Stadium.
This scenario could open the door for a rare start for Myles Lewis-Skelly at left-back, while the likes of Christian Norgaard and Ethan Nwaneri may also be afforded some minutes.
