Premier League 2024-25: Rice and Saka give Arteta more injury worries after derby draw
The HinduArsenal manager Mikel Arteta has two new worries to add to what he describes as a nightmare run of injuries after Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice both failed to finish the 1-1 draw with Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday. “I don’t expect them to be fit because if not they don’t come off.” Arsenal, which began without the likes of Riccardo Calafiori and Takehiro Tomiyasu, took the lead with a Gabriel Martinelli goal but was pegged back when Pedro Neto was allowed far too much time and space to drill in Chelsea’s equaliser. That’s something that we have to do better.” One positive for Arsenal, which has now gone four games without a win in the Premier League, was the return of captain Martin Odegaard to the starting lineup after a lengthy lay-off with an ankle injury. While much of the focus surrounds Arsenal’s sudden loss of form, Chelsea heads into the international break in the top three of the Premier League for the first time since the 2021-22 season when it came third behind Man City and Liverpool.