National World Top Stories Update Tuesday 30 December, 2025
Arsenal’s 2025 has ended on a bittersweet note - stopping one of their title rivals in their tracks, but also suffering fresh injury woes.
During the game, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was able to welcome several first-team players back into his Premier League matchday squad. Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Jesus both scored, with Gabriel returning to the starting XI and Jesus making his impact off the bench.
Declan Rice did not feature in Arsenal’s 4-1 win against Aston Villa.placeholder image
Declan Rice did not feature in Arsenal’s 4-1 win against Aston Villa. | Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Jurrien Timber also returned from injury in time to feature, while Kai Havertz was named among the substitutes after being sidelined since August. Ben White made a brief second-half appearance as he continues his own recovery.
Despite the positive signs, Arteta still has injury concerns ahead of Arsenal’s first away game of 2026 against Bournemouth. The main worry is Declan Rice, who is dealing with a knee injury.
At the eleventh hour yesterday, it was announced that Rice was not in the squad to face Villa, having picked up the issue earlier against Brighton.
Speaking before the game, Arteta said: “Declan got a big kick in his knee during the match, at the start of the match actually, and by the time he finished the match he had a massive swell up.
“This game was too early for him to be able to consider.”
Now, his availability for the Bournemouth trip this weekend is uncertain.
Arteta added: “That swelling has to come right down for him to have the chance to function; he wasn't available to do that today yet.
“He's improving but let's see what it is in the next couple of days.”
Elsewhere in Arsenal’s ranks, Riccardo Calafiori is still out, having withdrawn from the starting XI against Brighton. The 23-year-old sustained a “very awkward” injury during the warm-up, with Myles Lewis-Skelly expected to deputise at left-back in his absence.
Cristhian Mosquera and teenage sensation Max Dowman are not expected back until the end of January at the earliest.
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