Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta provides the latest injury news after Declan Rice and Cristhian Mosquera were forced off against Brentford
Mikel Arteta has provided an update on Arsenal duo Declan Rice and Cristhian Mosquera after both players were forced off with possible injuries in the win against Brentford on Wednesday night.
Mosquera, who was starting at Emirates Stadium with William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes watching on from the sidelines due to injuries of their own, picked up a knock in the first half after landing awkwardly.
Rice, meanwhile, was taken off with seven minutes of normal time remaining with what looked to be tightness in his calf. After the win, which puts Arsenal five points clear at the top of the table, Arteta refused to provide assurances that they will be fine to face Aston Villa on Saturday.
Speaking to the media after the match, Arteta said: “Yes, obviously it’s never good news. Declan had to come off. We don’t know.
“We have to see tomorrow what he’s got. And Mosquera is the other one that is out. Obviously we have big Gabi and Willy out as well. So we have to adapt. It’s been a theme of this season. But when I look at the players, they haven’t been playing much.
“For example, Ben White, the performance that he had on Martin that he’s been out and he puts 96 minutes under his belt straight away. Noni, the same. Victor is coming and now he’s getting some minutes as well. So I’m very pleased to see that.”
On Rice, Arteta added: “He could not carry on playing, so we have to wait and see tomorrow what happens. He can walk but he cannot play.”
On Mosquera’s injury the Spaniard said: “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.”
The Arsenal boss also paid tribute to goalscorer Mikel Merino after the makeshift centre-forward continued his hot-streak in front of goal.
Arteta said: “He was immense again, I think, today. The way he scored the goal, super smart. His timing, the way he wins the possession and the execution.
“But after his overall performance, with the ball, without the ball. I remember an action where he passed the ball to Martin Odegaard in behind. Martin didn’t chase it and Mikel makes 40 metres to chase it to the corner flag and goes back, wins the ball back. He’s everywhere, and he’s got that really good momentum at the moment, and he makes the team much better.”
