Arsenal handed Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori injury boost ahead of Crystal Palace trip | OneFootball

Good news and bad from the Gunners boss

Arsenal have been boosted by the return to fitness of both Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori ahead of Saturday’s trip to Crystal Palace.

The pair were both absent on Wednesday night when the Gunners beat Crystal Palace 3-2 to book a place in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.

Rice had been forced off in the game before during Arsenal’s draw against Everton, while Calafiori has not played since November 30, when Mikel Arteta’s side won at West Ham, due to a groin injury.

Calafiori and Rice, however, could be involved on Saturday when Arsenal take on Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

Asked about the pair at his press conference on Friday afternoon, manager Mikel Arteta said: “They are both available to be in the squad.”

Oleksandr Zinchenko is also in contention to play, but Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu remain out with knee injuries.

The return of Calafiori and Zinchenko will boost Arsenal’s defensive options, which have been repeatedly stretched this season.

Kieran Tierney started his first game for the club since May 2023 on Wednesday night, when he was named in the team to face Palace.

Before that, 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly had been given the nod at left-back and he may come back into the team this weekend if Calafiori and Zinchenko are not ready to start.

Arsenal head to Palace looking to bounce back from a frustrating draw to Everton last time out in the league.

The Gunners are still in the title as they are six points off Liverpool, however Arne Slot’s side do have a game in hand on them.

Arteta will be tempted to hand Gabriel Jesus another start this weekend after the Brazilian scored a stunning hat-trick in the win over Palace earlier this week.