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Charles Watts shares Declan Rice fitness update ahead of Arsenal v Nottingham Forest
Arsenal will be eager to get their Premier League season back on track once the final international break of 2024 finally comes to an end.
The Gunners have had to sit on their recent poor results over the past week an🌼d a half, but with the bus💙y festive period now on the horizon, they’ll be desperate to make amends.
Arsenal’s next Premier League game is on Saturday as they welcome high-flyi💧ng Nottingham Forest in a 3pm kick-off ꦺat the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners have had their fair share ofꦛ injury issues this season, with the likes of Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino and Riccardo Calafiori having been on the side𝓡lines.
Declan Rice is also a doubt for the Forest game due to a toe injury which saw him miss out on a place in the England squad for their November game🉐s🦹.
Arsenal expert Charles Watts has now provided an update onꩵ the £105million man’s fitness ahead of the meeting with Nuno Espirito S🅠anto’s Reds.
READ MORE: ESPN pundit says Arsenal have made a signing better than Chelsea🤪’s Pedro Neꦜto
Declan Rice tipped to be ‘okay’ for Arsenal against Nottingham Forest
ꦑWatts, speaking on his YouTube channel on Tuesday, has claimed that Rice should actually “be okay” for the Forest match.
He believes this weekend could be the first time that Mikel Arteta has to choose between Rice, Odegaardღ, Merino and Thomas Partey in midfield.
Watts said: “I wanted to start on the midfield because I think it’s really interesting what Mikel Arteta may well potentiall💯y do or the options he has to pick from going into this weekend’s game.
“Now, of course a lot of this revolves around whether Declan Rice and Mꦺartin Odegaard, I suppose, but more specifically Declan Rice is fit enough to🐲 start this game.
“Didn’t finish the game against Chelsea obviously with that toe injury, didn’t play fo🅺r England… but the expectation is💦 he should be okay for this weekend, so hopefully that will be the case.”
Arteta could have positive midfield dilemma
Having Rice back this w💖eekend would be a huge boost for Arteta, as he is a quality player who offers so much to the Gunners.
As per Joe Cole, Rice ꦍis a “strong”꧟ player who boasts “powerful running and strength”, not to mention ♊chippin🧔g in with goals and assists.
However, Partey has arguably been Arsenal’s best midfielder this season and dropping him if ▨he’s fully fit may 🐼be difficult.
Even if Rice is available, it would make more sense for Arteta to keep him on the bench against Forest, giving him more🔯 rest, and keep Partey in the XI while he’s in great form.