Mikel Arteta issues worrying Declan Rice update after latest Arsenal injury blow

Mikel Arteta has offered an ominous injury update on Arsenal midfielder . The 26-year-old star has been a but could be absent as they attempt to secure their qualification once again.

Rice missed out on the north London side's draw against and was replaced in the lineup by as Mikel Merino dropped back into the midfield. are five points clear of sixth-placed and need one more to confirm a place in Europe's top competition once again, with fixtures against Newcastle and to come.

The Anfield draw was only the third match Rice had missed this season. The England international was suspended against Spurs and remained on the bench against earlier this season.

But Arteta may to do without Rice for a longer period. “I think he is struggling, it does not look good," said the Spaniard following yesterday's game.

with the likes of Kai avertz, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Magalhaes and Takehiro Tomiyasu. And despite Jurrien Timber travelling with the squad to Merseyside, the Dutch defender is also struggling for fitness.

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"No, we brought him to see if today he was better but he was very clear that he's not fit to play," Arteta said.

The Arsenal boss will also have to do with Merino for next week’s home game with . The Spain international scored a crucial equaliser against Liverpool before picking up a second yellow card for fouls on Darwin Nunez and Dominik Szoboszlai.

"I haven't seen it on TV to be fair. I know that Mikel goes to the ball and he gets a little bit pushed and after he reacts it looks like he touches him and he made the decision so that's it," said Arteta.

The Gunners boss has previously admitted this his side were short of bodies, and suggested there was acceptance that was the case heading into the season. The former midfielder even noted that decision came knowing there were players who were particularly prone to injury.

"It's a lot of factors to that," said Arteta. "We knew from the beginning of the decision that our squad was super short and being super short we had some players that had a high probability of getting injured, because that's what they had in the last few seasons. So we knew that and we cannot do anything about it."

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