ARSENAL INJURY UPDATE
Arsenal star doubtful as Mikel Arteta gives injury update ahead of Aston Villa clash
Mikel Arteta has revealed that a world-class Arsenal star is a doubt for their Premier League fixture against Aston Villa on Saturday
Arsenal face uncertainty over the availability of Declan Rice for their Premier League trip to Aston Villa on Saturday, with Mikel Arteta set to make final injury assessments following training.
The Gunners remain five points clear at the top of the table after Wednesday’s 2–0 victory over Brentford, a result that underscores their strong start to the season despite a series of injury setbacks to key players.
Throughout the campaign, Arsenal have had to navigate absences for stars including Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyokeres, and Gabriel Martinelli.
Defensive options have also been hit hard, with first-choice centre-backs William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes sidelined. Gabriel is not expected to return until the end of December, while Saliba has missed the last two matches due to a training injury.
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In their absence, Cristhian Mosquera has deputised alongside Piero Hincapie at the back. The former Villarreal defender was forced off with an awkward landing during the first half against Brentford, raising concerns about his fitness. Arteta later confirmed Mosquera suffered an ankle issue but expressed hope it is not serious.
Declan Rice
“That’s the one that is more complicated. We have another scan to do today,” the manager said. “No. We need to know, because the feeling that we had after the game and yesterday, we need to corroborate with what happens with other testing that we do today.”
Rice also experienced a minor scare during the Brentford match, leaving the pitch with what appeared to be a calf problem. The England international, however, sought to calm fears after the game, telling Sky Sports he was “fine.”
Arteta remains cautious, stating that the midfielder’s availability will only be confirmed after the team’s afternoon training session. “Let’s see [on Rice],” the Spaniard said at a press conference. “Every hour is going to be very important. So, after that, we will decide who travels.”
Other squad members, such as Leandro Trossard, are similarly still a few days away from full fitness, though Mosquera has impressed as a deputy, providing stability in defence during this period of enforced absences.
With Villa in strong form, Arsenal will need to manage their squad carefully to maintain their lead at the top of the Premier League. The final team selection remains uncertain, with Arteta and his staff monitoring the condition of Rice, Mosquera, Saliba, and Trossard ahead of Saturday’s early kick-off.
ARSENAL INJURY UPDATE
Mikel Merino will undergo surgery on a stress fracture on his foot today. Although Arsenal has not put a timeline on his recovery, he is expected to be out until the end of the season, but the player hopes to be fit for the World Cup
Mikel Merino provides Arsenal return update after surgery on foot injury: ‘Closer to being back’
Midfielder faces a fight to play again this season
Update: Mikel Merino
Your matchday briefing on Arsenal, featuring team news and expert analysis from Matt
Mikel Merino has undergone surgery on a foot injury as the Arsenal midfielder begins a lengthy recovery process.
The midfielder picked up the issue late in the defeat to Manchester United last month, when he came off the bench and scored.
Merino was sent to see specialists to determine the severity of the problem, and it was discovered that surgery would be required on a bone injury in his right foot.
That procedure took place on Monday, with Merino taking to Instagram to share a picture from his hospital bed.
Merino posted: “Surgery done! Already closer to be back.
“Thank you so much to everyone for your messages and love. It really gives me even more energy to face the challenge. Vamos!”
Declan Rice said in reply: “With you brother.”
Martin Zubimendi, meanwhile, paid tribute to his Spanish team-mate by copying his celebration and pointing to the stands when scoring against Sunderland on Saturday.
Merino’s father recently confirmed that his son had suffered a stress fracture to his foot, an injury that Mikel Arteta has described as “very rare”.
Merino now faces a race to return to action before the end of the season and keep his World Cup hopes alive.
Arsenal hope that Merino will be fit to feature in May in the final weeks of the campaign, in what could be the decisive period for the club’s trophy hopes domestically and in Europe.
Asked if he expected Merino to play again this season, Arteta said: “Well, we hope so.
“I don’t know. Obviously, he needs to go through a procedure, which is never always positive. He’s a big player for us.
“An athlete that has such versatility and capacity to compete in various positions. Yeah, that’s a big blow.
“Let’s see. It’s a very rare injury, so we have to wait and see once we have the surgery. How that reacts daily.”
ARSENAL INJURY UPDATE
Gallery The best training snaps ahead of Sunderland clas Cristhian Mosquera tries to tackle Martin Zubimendi in training
We face Sunderland at Emirates Stadium on Saturday, and you can see what we’ve been up to at the Sobha Realty Training Centre ahead of the contest with our latest training gallery.
We’ll be looking to continue our positive form having won our last three matches across all competitions, including a late 1-0 win over Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-finals last time out.
Our most recent Premier League game saw us thrash Leeds United 4-0, a result which extended our lead at the top of the table to six points.
To see how we’ve been preparing for our clash with the Black Cats, flick through our training gallery below, captured by club photographer Stuart MacFarlane:
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Copyright 2026 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source.
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ARSENAL INJURY UPDATE
Here’s the latest confirmed info on the Arsenal vs Manchester City Carabao Cup final (2025-26 EFL/Carabao Cup):
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Manchester City beat Newcastle to set up League Cup final against Arsenal
Today
Today
📅 Date & Kick-off
The Carabao Cup final between Arsenal and Manchester City is scheduled for Sunday, 22 March 2026 at Wembley Stadium in London, England. �
Wikipedia
Kick-off is expected to be around 4:30 pm GMT (16:30 GMT), although final broadcaster confirmation may adjust this slightly. �
The Standard
🏆 Match Context
Arsenal reached the final by beating Chelsea 4-2 on aggregate in their semi-final. �
Reuters
Manchester City progressed with a 5-1 aggregate win over Newcastle United. �
Sky Sports
📺 How to Watch
In the UK the final is expected to be shown on Sky Sports and free-to-air via ITV/ITVX, with pre-match coverage typically starting about an hour before kick-off. �
The Standard
📰 Team News & Injury Updates
Arsenal
Mikel Merino is a major doubt for the final as he’s expected to be out for an extended period undergoing foot surgery. �
Yahoo Sports UK
Decisions like goalkeeper choice (Kepa Arrizabalaga vs David Raya) may hinge on form later in the season. �
Yahoo Sports UK
Arsenal’s squad situation could evolve through Premier League and European fixtures between now and March.
Manchester City
Key players such as Josko Gvardiol are likely to miss the final due to injury. �
Yahoo Sports UK
Some others – including John Stones, Mateo Kovacic and Savinho – are expected to be available. �
Yahoo Sports UK
Marc Guehi is currently ineligible to play in the final under competition rules after appearing for another club earlier in the tournament; Pep Guardiola has publicly questioned this rule. �
Reuters
⚠️ Note: Team news and injury status will be clearer closer to matchday as clubs confirm their squads, fitness, and starting line-ups.
📌 Summary
Final: Arsenal vs Manchester City (Carabao Cup final)
Date: Sunday 22 March 2026
Kick-off: ~4:30 pm GMT (subject to broadcaster confirmation)
Venue: Wembley Stadium, London �
The Standard +1
If you want the local kickoff time for your time zone (Abuja/Nigeria) or predictions for the starting line-ups once confirmed, just let me know!
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