Declan Rice is set to be absent from Arsenal's crucial Premier League match against Aston Villa this evening due to a suspected knee injury. The England midfielder sustained the problem during the Brighton match earlier this week and is now anticipated to be out of action for Tuesday evening's face-off at the Emirates.
He was not pictured in training this week and is set to miss out as a precaution, to avoid aggravating his injury any further. Arsenal are hopeful his absence will only be a short-term one but the £100million man will be a big miss for the north Londoners against Villa in what is effectively a six-pointer for the leaders.
Rice has contributed two goals and four assists in 17 Premier League appearances to help Mikel Arteta's men to the top of the table. Arsenal go into tonight's match just three points ahead of Villa, having lost to the Midlands club at Villa Park on December 6.
Rice has not missed a single Premier League match this season for the Gunners and started at right-back against Brighton due to injuries in defence. The only league game that the 26-year-old did not start was the 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest in September, when he played the final 22 minutes off the bench.