It is often easy for misinformation to spread, particularly in football but even more so through social media. Arsenal have had to tackle plenty of issues in that regard, but as the squad faces new challenges each week, the hysteria can sometimes get out of control.
With so many injuries that Mikel Arteta is having to deal with, the threat of further players missing games can quickly set alight the fuse for more meltdowns. However, suggestions that Declan Rice will not be available for this weekend through suspension should not be one, and yet it appears to be.
Following his yellow card against Fulham at the weekend, many had assumed that he would then miss the clash with Everton this coming Saturday. This is, most will be glad to hear, not the case.
football.london reached out to the FA to confirm this was indeed the case. The misconception comes from the fact that Rice has indeed been shown five yellow cards.
Meeting this amount before the midway point of the league season would typically incur a one-match suspension. However, because two of the yellows that Rice has received were shown in one game, the 1-1 draw with Brighton, they became a red card.
Subsequently, these two yellow cards do not then count toward the tally of individual cautions. Rice therefore remains on three yellow cards, as shown by the official Premier League website.
There remain four more matches between the present and the halfway point where the 19-match threshold means reaching five yellow cards will no longer create a ban. The Gunners face Everton at home, Crystal Palace away, Ipswich Town at the Emirates Stadium and then a trip to the Gtech Community Stadium to face Brentford.
Four matches which on paper look very winnable and it will be hoped not cause Arsenal too many problems. That said, should Rice be booked in two of the four games he will indeed be banned.
The same goes for Gabriel Jesus, Jurrien Timber, Jorginho and Bukayo Saka. Timber and Saka are perhaps the most in danger with them being regular starters.
There is also a League Cup quarter-final with Crystal Palace that yellow cards will not count but red cards would mean a suspension. Arteta may be conscious about his selections therefore in the coming weeks.