Declan Rice is ‘desperate’ to do one thing in Arsenal’s clash with Chelsea, but Mikel Arteta must be careful

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Arsenal are enduring something of a mini-crisis after losing three of their last four away games, and they face another tough trip to Chelsea.

Mikel Arteta’s side have lost at Bournemouth, Newcastle and Inter Milan in recent weeks, and failed to score a single goal in that time.

Arsenal did put in an improved display away at Inter, but they were dealt yet more problems, as Declan Rice failed to make the trip, whilst Mikel Merino was withdrawn at half time.

Rice’s absence was due to a minor injury, but the nature of his problem has since emerged, and he is now a doubt for the upcoming game at Stamford Bridge.

• READ MORE: The top five most injured Arsenal players in 2023/24

Declan Rice battling broken toe before Chelsea vs Arsenal

It has now been reported by The Telegraph that Rice suffered a broken toe in the defeat to Newcastle last week.

This kept him out of the Inter clash, but Rice is reportedly “desperate” to play against Chelsea despite the problem, and will even endure the extra pain to feature at Stamford Bridge.

Rice’s presence would be a huge boost for Arteta, alongside the potential return of Martin Odegaard to the starting lineup, but he must be careful over Rice’s injury for several reasons.

Mikel Arteta must be careful over Declan Rice injury

Arsenal do have several options in midfield if Rice does not make the trip. Thomas Partey has been impressive as a number six, whilst Jorginho and Merino will also be pushing to start.

Rice is a crucial player for Arsenal, and the game against Chelsea is an important one for their title hopes.

If Rice does play against Chelsea, it is likely that England will select him for the upcoming international break, which could lead to further damage.

Rice was far from his best against Newcastle, with his set-piece delivery surprisingly poor, and his injury may have been the reason for his struggles. Forcing him in against Chelsea could see him suffer in a similar way.

Arteta must therefore be cautious over Rice. Losing the England star for an extended period would be a disaster, and Arsenal would certainly prefer it if he did not appear for his National Team next week, but he could also provide a game-changing presence against Chelsea.