Mikel Arteta provides worrying Declan Rice injury update | OneFootball

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta warned that Declan Rice is suffering from an injury which "does not look good".

The all-action midfielder was left out of the squad which battled back to earn a 2-2 draw at the home champions Liverpool on Sunday afternoon. Before the match, Arteta did not provide an exact diagnosis on the issue ailing Rice, although he did reveal that the England international "couldn't even train".

Rice is one of Arsenal's most durable players. Even during a run of Premier League fixtures undermined by heavy rotation from Arteta in a clear prioritisation of the Champions League, the former West Ham captain has been a reliable fixture in the starting XI. Until Sunday, that is.

"I think he is struggling," Arteta admitted when asked for an update on Rice after his side overturned a two-goal deficit at Anfield. "It does not look good."

Rice had started Arsenal's previous 19 matches across all competitions before joining several teammates in an increasingly packed treatment room.

Declan Rice isn't Arsenal's only injury concern / Sports Press Photo/GettyImages

Right-back Jurrien Timber made the squad this weekend but, as Arteta later revealed, stood no chance of getting involved. "With Jurrien we brought him to see if he was better but it was clear that he was not fit to play," the Spanish boss clarified post-match.

There was no update provided for Leandro Trossard, who limped off clutching his hamstring with 12 minutes remaining.

Arteta's selection considerations for next weekend's intriguing clash against Newcastle United were complicated further by a red card for Mikel Merino. The converted striker was filling in for Rice in midfield while he collected two blatant bookings on either side of half-time, ruling him out of the league season's penultimate match.

There is the faint hope that Arsenal could be boosted by the return of Kai Havertz. Earlier this month, Arteta teased a swift return for the versatile German, revealing: "I think if everything goes the way it's going at the moment and the way it's planned, I think he will have a chance to play a few games here in the season."

Arsenal only have two games remaining; the visit of third-placed Newcastle next Sunday before a season-ender away to already relegated Southampton.

Without Rice, Merino, Trossard or Jorginho - who is recovering from a lung injury - Arteta may have to deploy Oleksandr Zinchenko in midfield against Newcastle. Raheem Sterling could also get a run-out in a frontline which may instead include 18-year-old starlet Ethan Nwaneri.