Arsenal have confirmed their starting XI to face Aston Villa with Jurrien Timber in for Declan Rice. Ahead of the huge Premier League clash, it was revealed by The Athletic that the latter had suffered a knee injury in the win over Brighton last weekend.
Their report added that everything had been done by staff and player to make him available, but there were concerns over aggravating the issue. Other notable updates in the team news includes Gabriel Magalhaes starting while Riccardo Calafiori is out.
Though Rice's absence is a blow, Arsenal have been handed two boosts with Ben White and Kai Havertz being back on the bench.
Rice was spotted arriving at the team hotel with his teammates. Cameras also captured him hurriedly heading into the dressing room with it clear he has some involvement in the clash.
His absence is another major injury blow for Arteta to deal with alongside Calafiori's issue. It does, however, seem that positives are outweighing negatives with Gabriel, Timber, Havertz and White back in the fold to varying degrees.
Villa are also dealing with some key absences that includes suspensions for Boubacar Kamara and Matty Cash after each player picked up their fifth yellow cards of the season against Chelsea.
Pau Torres is the key player that remains out with Lamare Bogarde in at right-back while Youri Tielemans has dropped back to a deeper midfield role.
That has seen Jadon Sancho come in for his first Premier League start of the season in an attacking three with Morgan Rogers and Emiliano Buendia, behind Saturday's goal-scoring hero Ollie Watkins.
In the short-term, Arteta will be desperately hoping for his side to pick up three points against their potential title rivals.
With so many more fixtures on the horizon, Rice will be eager to return swiftly and the hope is that he has just suffered a minor knee injury.
Declan Rice in action for Arsenal
Declan Rice is dealing with a knee injury and has missed Arsenal's clash with Aston Villa (Image: Michael Zemanek/Shutterstock)
The Gunners face Bournemouth this weekend before hosting reigning champions Liverpool ahead of four consecutive away matches.
The former clash could arrive at such a time where the Cherries are without Antoine Semenyo as he looks set to join Manchester City imminently. He has however, been named in their starting XI to face Chelsea this evening.
Trips to Portsmouth, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Inter - across three different competitions - await the Gunners in January.
The league leaders close out a very busy month at home to Manchester United and Kairat before a visit to Elland Road to face Leeds United.