December 18th 2024.
Unfortunately, Declan Rice will not be joining Arsenal on the field tonight as they take on Crystal Palace. It seems that manager Mikel Arteta has decided to leave him out of the squad after the midfielder experienced some discomfort during their match against Everton over the weekend.
As the Gunners gear up for their Carabao Cup semi-final clash, Arteta has made some changes to the team, with eight new players taking the field. Kieran Tierney will be making his first appearance of the season as the left-back, while Raheem Sterling will be leading the attack, alongside Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus.
Taking over the captain's duties is Jorginho, who will be starting in midfield alongside Mikel Merino and the young and talented Ethan Nwaneri. Nwaneri has been impressing everyone this season since making his debut from Arsenal's academy. On the bench, we have Martin Odegaard, who was subbed off during the second half of the goalless draw against Everton.
Unfortunately, Rice will not be joining his teammates tonight as he has been completely left out of the squad. Arteta has revealed that the England international experienced some discomfort during their match against Everton and it was best to rest him for this game. As for Odegaard, it was a tactical decision to swap him out and change the rhythm of the game, especially on the right side.
When asked about his second-half changes against Everton, Arteta explained, "I had to take him [Rice] off because he was feeling something and with Martin [Odegaard], it was a tactical decision to try and change the rhythm." He also acknowledged the risks involved in making substitutions, stating, "I understand if Ethan comes in and scores a goal, it's a great sub. But if he doesn't, you have taken your captain out. That's football."
We will keep you updated as the game progresses. Stay tuned for more updates.
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