Mikel Arteta provides Declan Rice injury update after North London Derby draw

Mikel Arteta revealed that “discomfort in his back” forced Declan Rice off midway through Sunday’s North London Derby draw.

Rice, who’s been excellent since joining from West Ham for a club-record £105m in the summer, started Sunday’s game but was forced off midway through with a reported injury. It was initially believed that the England international might’ve been struggling with a calf issue, but the boss confirmed post-match that wasn’t the case.

While Arsenal retook the lead at the start of the second half after Rice’s exit, the midfielder’s replacement, Jorginho, gifted Spurs an immediate reprieve by dallying in possession and allowing James Maddison and Son Heung-min to combine for a second time.

The two sides then struggled to fashion anything during the latter stages of the contest, with Arsenal’s performance certainly raising some concerns. Injuries aren’t helping, that’s for sure, and Rice could join the likes of Jurrien Timber, Gabriel Martinelli, Thomas Partey, and Leandro Trossard on the sidelines.

Mikel Arteta provides Declan Rice injury update after North London Derby draw

Queried about his half-time substitutions, Arteta confirmed that Rice was forced off with a back injury.

“He had some discomfort in his back and was telling us during the first half he was uncomfortable,” the Spaniard said.

While there’s initial optimism that Rice won’t endure an extensive period out, supporters have a nervy wait while the full extent of the issue is realised. It’s worth noting that William Saliba missed a couple of months at the end of last season with a lower back injury.

With Partey absent until the October break, losing Rice for any significant period would be disastrous. Arsenal’s unconvincing second-half showing with Jorginho at the base of midfield depicted just how important Rice has become in a short space of time. The Gunners also host table-toppers Manchester City on 8 October.