Arteta delivers Rice and Calafiori injury updates ahead of Bournemouth | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta has delivered a cautious update on Declan Rice ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Bournemouth, with the midfielder’s knee swelling yet to subside as the squad prepares for its first match of 2026.

Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images

Arsenal travel south on Saturday knowing a win would take them seven points clear of Manchester City, who play on Sunday, but Arteta said Rice remains a doubt after missing the midweek game against Villa.

Asked whether the swelling in Rice’s knee had gone down following the knock he sustained against Brighton, Arteta said: “We have another session today, let’s see how he comes today and how that’s feeling, but it was too early, that game for him”

Arteta also rejected any suggestion that Rice should have been withdrawn earlier in the Brighton match after taking the kick that later led to the swelling.

“No, no, no,” he said. “He managed to do it [finish the game]. That’s normal sometimes. You get a hit, and throughout the game you are able with adrenaline, and because you are warm, you are able to sustain that.

“And then the body reacts, and it reacted probably more than we expected, unfortunately. And that’s where we are.”

Arteta then confirmed that Riccardo Calafiori will not return after missing the Villa match, while Cristhian Mosquera remains sidelined and is not expected back until the middle of the month.

On Calafiori and Mosquera, Arteta said: “They are both out.” It’s still not clear what Calafiori’s issue is.

Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images

Max Dowman is also unavailable and is not expected back until February after suffering an ankle injury in a behind closed doors friendly against Manchester United, which was organised to build minutes for players returning from injury.

Asked about how Arsenal are reacting to injuries, Arteta highlighted it as a chance to improve what they are doing. “Well, first thing, what can we do better?,” he said “The second thing is the reality of the sport that we play.

“But looking back in the last three seasons, we have less days of injuries than before. So, it’s how you look at it.”

Arsenal head into the Bournemouth fixture mindful of recent meetings between the sides. Bournemouth completed a league double over Arsenal last season, including a 2-0 win in this exact fixture, but Arsenal have failed to score in only one of their 16 Premier League matches against them and their defence is much more solid this time around.

Asked about the games last seaosn, Arteta said, “They were two very different games.

Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

“Obviously a game that, until the 30th minute when Saliba gets surprisingly sent off, it was a different game that we managed. We had some chances but we manage to lose the game against a home display at the beginning, that it was very dominant and that ended up in a really poor way for us.

“So, a lot to learn, huge respect for them. I know Andoni really well and what he’s doing, I think it’s incredible. I’m watching all the games that they played this season and against the top sides, how difficult they made it and how they haven’t got results against them as well is difficult to understand.

In addition, Bournemouth are winless in their last 10 league games, their longest run without a victory in a top-flight campaign, and have lost 12 of their 13 Premier League matches against teams starting the day top of the table.

In contrast, Arsenal have lost their opening league game in just one of the last 10 calendar years, and Arteta’s side will look to extend that record despite the uncertainty around Rice’s availability.

The referee in charge, however, might have something to say about that.