Mikel Arteta offers update on 'nasty' Arsenal injury as boss worried about second player

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta refused to confirm if Kai Havertz and Declan Rice would be fit to face Chelsea in Friday’s press conference. The Gunners are fielding a number of injury concerns ahead of Sunday’s blockbuster trip to Stamford Bridge.

Havertz was left bloodied after a sickening clash of heads during the latter stages of Arsenal’s midweek defeat to Inter Milan. Rice, meanwhile, is thought to have a broken toe and is a doubt for the game against Chelsea.

Arteta kept his cards close to his chest when asked for an update on both players, but revealed that Rice was yet to train with the rest of the group.

On Havertz, he said: “Everybody in the squad will be fit and available to start the game, then it will be a decision on whether to start the game. Kai had a nasty cut so we had to take him off.”

Asked if Rice would be in the squad against Chelsea, Arteta replied: “There is no clarity if he will be fit or not for the weekend. It’s for the doctor. He hasn’t trained yet and it is not clear if he is going to be available.”

Mikel Merino has also been nursing an injury from the game against Inter, while Martin Odegaard came off the bench to make his first appearance in nearly two months. However, it remains to be seen if he will be ready to start at Stamford Bridge.

“Having a player like Martin helps because he has shown what he can do,” said Arteta. “We hope he is going to help because he’s been incredibly good for us. Let’s hope he can impact the team.”

Arsenal will be desperate to return to winning ways against Chelsea, having picked up just one point from their last three Premier League matches.

Asked if he was viewing Sunday’s game as a must-win fixture, Arteta admitted: “When you don’t win it affects the mood and the energy, but the positive is that there is no one who wants to win more than I and the players do. I can sense it from the players.

“Especially because we have missed certain points and the margins are becoming smaller and smaller. More perfection is demanded.”