Arsenal
Arteta provides Declan Rice update after knee injury ruled him out of Villa win
Arteta says Rice is improving after knee swelling but doubts his availability for Bournemouth.
Mikel Arteta confirmed Declan Rice is making progress after a knee problem forced him out of Tuesday’s 4–1 victory over Aston Villa, but the manager was cautious about the midfielder’s chances of featuring at Bournemouth this weekend.
“Declan got a big kick in his knee during the match [against Brighton ], at the start of the match actually, and by the time he finished the match he had a massive swell up,” Arteta revealed ahead of the midweek contest. “The game [against Villa] was too early for him to be able to consider.”
Rice’s absence was a notable subplot early on. Villa began strongly at the Emirates, repeatedly probing a midfield missing the England international, and Ollie Watkins spurned a clear first-half chance. Arsenal regrouped midway through the opening period and took the lead three minutes after the interval from a corner. The set piece had been won by Jurriën Timber, who, after a more reserved inverted role in the first half, was able to push forward while Piero Hincapié tucked in to provide cover in Rice’s absence.
Villa then folded. Martín Zubimendi slipped through the centre to make it 2–0 and Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus added two goals separated by less than 10 minutes to complete a statement win. Aside from a late Watkins consolation, the main concern for Arteta remained Rice’s availability.
When asked bluntly if Rice would be fit for Saturday’s trip to Bournemouth, Arteta said: “It depends.” He added, “The swelling has to come right down for him to have the chance to function. He wasn’t able to do that today, he’s improving. But let’s see what happens in the next couple of days.”
Rice watched the action from the bench on a bitterly cold night, under a beanie, having started 35 of Arsenal’s previous 37 Premier League fixtures. After the match he praised his teammates on social media, writing: “This team!!!! We keep going” followed by three heart emojis.
Arsenal
Slot concedes Ekitiké not yet training and reassesses Arsenal availability
Slot admits Ekitiké has not trained and may miss Liverpool’s trip to Arsenal at the Emirates today..
Arne Slot has revised his earlier optimism over Hugo Ekitiké’s availability for Liverpool’s trip to Arsenal after confirming the French striker has not returned to training. With less than 48 hours before the meeting at the Emirates Stadium, Slot admitted his previous estimate may have been premature.
“He hasn’t trained with us up until now,” Slot said on Wednesday morning. “Let’s see if he can train with us today.” He added: “Two or three days ago, when we played against Fulham, I said he wouldn’t be out for long but it’s hard because the games come so fast. He is in-between maybe training with the team or it maybe taking him one or two days extra.”
Ekitiké’s absence was a setback both for Slot and Fantasy Premier League managers. An account credited to Lee Nobes, Liverpool’s head of physiotherapy, registered an FPL transfer that dropped Ekitiké for Brentford striker Igor Thiago before the Arsenal trip, the Daily Mail report said. Thiago arrives fresh from scoring a hat-trick and is described in the report as two goals shy of recording the most prolific Premier League campaign by any Brazilian, a mark shared with Roberto Firmino.
Slot turned to Cody Gakpo in Ekitiké’s absence for the Fulham match. Gakpo had often been used through the middle under Jürgen Klopp and has endured spells without goals. Ronald Koeman has put some of that inconsistency down to role and positioning. “First, his position is on the left side,” Koeman said during Euro 2024. “Because he is really dangerous if he comes one-against-one with the right full-back. Inside, outside, he has his qualities, he’s strong.”
Slot first noticed Gakpo’s wide qualities when they were opponents in the Dutch top flight. Last weekend’s meeting with Fulham was the first of Gakpo’s 51 starts for Slot as a centre forward. The 26-year-old bundled in a late goal but struggled for much of a stodgy contest.
With Alexander Isak nowhere near a return from his broken leg and Ekitiké potentially still sidelined, Gakpo may again be asked to occupy a central role in which he has never appeared fully comfortable.
Arsenal
Van Dijk: Liverpool Must Embrace ‘Big Fight’ as They Head to Arsenal
Van Dijk says Liverpool must embrace the challenge when they visit unbeaten Arsenal on Thursday. fan
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk framed Thursday night’s trip to the Emirates Stadium as a “big fight” and insisted the Reds must welcome the test if they are to take a result from Premier League leaders Arsenal. Van Dijk pointed to Arsenal’s squad depth and home form as central challenges.
“We will definitely look at the strength that they have. They have a fantastic squad with players on the pitch and also coming from the bench,” Van Dijk said as he looked towards the meeting. “We all know at home they are unbeaten this season, I think, in all competitions. So, it is a nice challenge and we should be ready for a big fight.”
The Liverpool captain acknowledged Arsenal’s physical presence and set-piece threat, and urged his team to match them closely. “I’m really looking forward to it and I think everyone should,” he added. “That is the only way to try to get a result over there. There is no reason to not look forward to it, in my opinion.”
Liverpool are one of only two sides to have beaten Arsenal this season, claiming a 1–0 victory at Anfield in August when Dominik Szoboszlai scored the late winner. Since that win, the Reds have endured mixed results: only three league wins from seven games since the start of December, yet they enter the Emirates unbeaten in nine matches across all competitions.
A victory in north London would boost Liverpool’s position inside the Premier League top four and could influence the title race. Manchester City sit second and host Brighton & Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium 24 hours earlier, creating a sequence of high-stakes fixtures for the leading clubs.
The league table included in the original report showed Arsenal top with 48 points from 20 matches, Manchester City and Aston Villa on 42, and Liverpool fourth on 34. The match therefore offers Liverpool both a chance to measure themselves against the leaders and an opportunity to alter the shape of the race at the summit.
Arsenal
Ferdinand Says Arteta Would Weigh Man Utd Role as Fletcher Steps In
Ferdinand suggests Arteta would consider the Man Utd job as Fletcher takes over as interim boss. Wed.
Rio Ferdinand has suggested Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta would quietly consider the Manchester United job after the club dismissed Ruben Amorim. Ferdinand put Arteta’s name into the conversation on his Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel while reacting to United’s decision to move on from Amorim.
Darren Fletcher will act as interim boss while the 20-time English champions search for a permanent successor. Xavi, Oliver Glasner and Enzo Maresca were named among the possible candidates before Ferdinand added his own suggestions.
“Unai Emery would be someone who would absolutely jump at the chance,” Ferdinand said on his Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel.
“Pep Guardiola’s the only manager in the league who I think would sit there and go, ‘I’m content where I am, I’m happy where I am and I don’t need it.’
“He’s never gonna say it, he would never say it out loud. But I’m telling you, Mikel Arteta would sit there [and consider it].”
The article noted Arteta took over Arsenal in Dec. 2019 and signed a three-year extension in 2024. The Gunners sit atop the table with a six-point lead over second-place Manchester City. The 43-year-old has ambitions to deliver Arsenal their first Premier League title since the club’s unbeaten 2003–2004 season.
Ferdinand also described a shift in his interactions with Amorim, saying he noticed a change when he last visited the club.
“When I went there the last time, I noticed immediately that there was a coldness about [Amorim], and there was a real difference to what I’d seen before,” Ferdinand explained.
“Now I look back with hindsight, I think things were starting to cook before Christmas. This isn’t just an overnight thing in terms of his dialogue with the hierarchy and the way he’s been feeling about things.
“This coldness I saw in the last two press conferences, I saw it in him. The vibe in the training ground around the players felt good, but he just felt a little bit distant.”
Amorim leaves United sixth in the table, level with Chelsea on 31 points. The Red Devils dropped points in three of their last four matches, losing 2–1 to Aston Villa and drawing 1–1 with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leeds United. United travel to Turf Moor on Wednesday to face Burnley under Fletcher’s temporary charge.
