Declan Rice has sent an Arsenal message amid injury doubts for Newcastle
(Image: (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images))
Declan Rice delivered a definitive signal to Newcastle United after he was spotted wearing Arsenal training kit during their press day at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, amidst uncertainty about his fitness following a muscle injury.
The Three Lions midfielder didn't feature in the team that shared spoils in a 2-2 draw with Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, and comments from manager Mikel Arteta afterwards suggested Rice's season might be prematurely ended.
"I think he is struggling," said the Gunners' manager with a tone of concern, adding, "It does not look good."
Newcastle and Arsenal go head to head on Sunday at the Emirates Stadium in a clash which suddenly has huge significance for both teams. The Gunners had been tracking Liverpool in a title bid, but have fallen away as the Anfield outfit lifted the championship and now even Champions League qualification isn't guaranteed.
Should United win on Sunday, they would leapfrog the Gunners into second spot and wth Manchester City and Aston Villa, plus Chelsea and Nottingham Forest breathing down their necks, it could make for a nervy final game at already-relegated Southampton.
Whilst it's highly improbable that Arsenal would not finish within the top five, considering every result would have to fall against them, clinching second place remains an open question particularly with in-form Newcastle.
The Magpies, having already triumphed over Arsenal three times this campaign, will be annoyed, however, by the potential return of Rice for such a pivotal fixture. The chances of Rice making a comeback seem promising as he was seen donning his training gear on Wednesday.
Leandro Trossard, who suffered a possible hamstring injury recently, was also in attendance at the training ground, with both players set to undergo assessments prior to any decision on their participation this weekend.
In a significant development, Kai Havertz has been sighted at an Arsenal training session for the first time in three months. Jurrien Timber and Gabriel Magalhaes were present too, albeit in casual attire, hinting that the Dutch defender may join Gabriel on the sidelines for the season's remainder.
Rice, amidst speculation regarding his fitness, took to social media to post a telling message, his first since being sidelined for the Liverpool match due to injury.
Sharing an image alongside Riccardo Calafiori on Instagram, Rice captioned it: "@richycala [red heart and fingers crossed emoji]."
While the heart emoji's meaning is apparent, the inclusion of the fingers crossed emoji could signify Rice's optimism about returning to action.
Newcastle, of course, have injury problems of their own. Kieran Trippier, Joe Willock, Joelinton and Lewis Hall may all not feature again this season while Sven Botman is a doubt after a new knee issue.
Should Rice be unavailable for the upcoming Newcastle encounter, there remains the prospect of him featuring in the season finale against Southampton. However, Arteta might opt not to field him if Arsenal's Champions League spot for the forthcoming season is already secured.