Declan Rice set to MISS Aston Villa clash as Arsenal dealt another injury blow

Declan Rice is due to miss Arsenal's key Premier League clash with Aston Villa with a suspected knee injury.

The England midfielder picked up the issue against Brighton earlier this week but was able to play the full 90 minutes in the Gunner's 2-1 victory. But it appears that Rice has now succumbed to the injury and is now expected to be sidelined for Tuesday evening's showdown at the Emirates, as per The Athletic.

It is thought that Rice's issue is only a short-term one and there is hope that he can return to action before too long but Arsenal have decided to not risk the midfielder against Villa.

Nevertheless, his absence comes at a tricky time for Mikel Arteta's side, who are already struggling with defensive problems. Riccardo Calafiori remains out for Arsenal, having withdrawn from the squad to face Brighton during the warm-ups.

Fellow defenders Ben White and Jurrien Timber are also both still recovering but the pair are pushing for inclusion. Cristhian Mosquera, Kai Havertz and Max Dowman all remain restricted to the sidelines.

There will be more to follow on this breaking news story and Mirror Sport will bring you the very latest updates, pictures and video as soon as possible.

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