Declan Rice will miss Arsenal’s upcoming clash against Tottenham Hotspur due to a suspension.
Last weekend, Arsenal’s winning streak was halted by Brighton at the Emirates, but Declan Rice’s red card was the main talking point. There is ongoing debate about the decision to issue Rice a second yellow card, but this is unlikely to be Arteta’s primary concern at the moment.
Rice will certainly be absent for Arsenal’s next match, the North London Derby against Tottenham Hotspur on September 15. This is a significant loss for Arteta, especially with the team heading to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Additionally, Arteta will also be without new signing Mikel Merino, who sustained a shoulder injury during his first training session with the club last week.
“We have to adapt to this situation. That’s why we have other players who can take on Rice’s role, and I can give opportunities to others,” Arteta commented about managing without Rice and Merino for the Tottenham showdown.
Losing Rice will undoubtedly impact Arsenal’s style of play, but Arteta likely has a perfect alternative ready. Currently, Arteta still has a quality central midfielder in Jorginho, who featured 36 times for Arsenal last season and has consistently delivered reliable performances in big games since arriving from Chelsea in January 2023.
Arsenal fans might be concerned about Jorginho’s lack of game time in the first three Premier League matches this season, but this shouldn’t be a major worry for Arteta, considering past performances. For instance, in the 3-1 victory over Liverpool in February, Jorginho, who had barely featured in the weeks leading up to the match, was selected to start alongside Martin Odegaard and Rice. Jorginho delivered an impressive performance and played a crucial role in Arsenal’s win, even being named the best player of the match by Gary Neville.
A similar scenario could very well play out in the Tottenham fixture. Given the current situation, Jorginho is likely to partner with Odegaard and Thomas Partey in midfield. With his experience and top-level quality, the former Chelsea star is more than capable of stepping into Rice’s role and delivering a standout performance against Ange Postecoglou’s side.