Arsenal have received a boost over Declan Rice's fitness after the England midfielder appeared to suffer a calf injury in the closing minutes of the Gunners' victory over Brentford
11:19, 04 Dec 2025Updated 11:20, 04 Dec 2025
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 03: Declan Rice of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Brentford at Emirates Stadium on December 03, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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Arsenal have received a boost after Declan Rice suffered a calf injury(Image: David Price, Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Arsenal and Declan Rice are both optimistic that the England midfielder has avoided a calf injury after he limped off during the Brentford clash.
Rice put in a tireless display during the 2-0 triumph over the Bees, until he went down with a problem and was subbed off with just seven minutes on the clock. Rice was seen gesturing towards his calf as he received attention from the physio, but there's a sense of optimism within the club that the 26-year-old was merely feeling the effects of another demanding performance in midfield.
After the match, the ex-Hammers skipper was able to join his teammates for a lap of honour, applauding the Gunners faithful after they extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to five points.
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 3: Declan Rice of Arsenal is treated for injury during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Brentford at Emirates Stadium on December 3, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
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Rice was withdrawn against Brentford after suffering a calf problem(Image: Nigel French/Allstar, Getty Images)
As he exited the Emirates, Rice reassured Sky Sports News that he was "fine", although he's set to undergo further checks before Friday's training session ahead of Saturday's lunchtime showdown with Aston Villa.
Mikel Arteta's league leaders have one light training session pencilled in before they head to the Midlands, and now face an anxious wait to learn if centre-back Cristhian Mosquera is set for a stint on the sidelines.
The Spanish U21 international defender seemed to twist his leg in the turf after leaping for a header against Brentford's Kevin Schade. There was no contact with the German forward, but Mosquera initially felt some discomfort in his ankle and limped off the pitch.
Upon receiving treatment, he also reported pain in his knee, leading to Arteta expressing uncertainty during his press conference about whether Mosquera had an ankle or knee issue.
He stated: "Yeah, we have to wait and see. It's probably part of the knee or ankle, we don't know. He could not really tell us exactly how it was but he wasn't able to continue."
William Saliba was seen shaking his head as Mosquera exited the field, and Arsenal are hopeful that the Frenchman can prove his fitness ahead of this weekend's journey to Villa.
The 24-year-old sustained a knock in the final training session before last Sunday's 1-1 draw at Chelsea and hasn't trained since the incident.
Belgian striker Leandro Trossard is also making a comeback, but it's unclear if he'll be fit for this weekend following his calf injury in the 3-1 Champions League victory over Bayern Munich.
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Defender Piero Hincapie also had a heavy collision of heads with Bees forward Igor Thiago, but he managed to play the entire match.