PREMIER LEAGUE
Why isn’t Declan Rice playing for Arsenal against Tottenham in the Premier League?
With captain Martin Odegaard out injured, The Gunners are light in midfield for the North London Derby with Spurs.
After finishing just two points behind Premier League winners Manchester City last season, Arsenal have had a relatively solid start to the 2024/25 campaign, taking seven points from a possible nine. However, they find themselves five adrift of Pep Guardiola’s team before Sunday’s North London Derby against Tottenham Hotspur, in which they will be missing at least one key player.
Mikel Arteta has a hole to fill in midfield because of the absence of England star Declan Rice, who must serve a one-match suspension.
Why is Declan Rice suspended for the Spurs game?
The 25-year-old, who scored for his country against his “former” nation during the September international break, was involved in controversy in Arsenal’s last Premier League game, a 1-1 draw at home to Brighton.
The Gunners were a goal ahead and in control of the game when Rice was shown a second yellow card only four minutes into the second half. The former West Ham man was booked just before half time for a foul on Joel Veltman and the same two players clashed again moments after the break.
After the Arsenal midfielder was deemed to have barged his opponent over, he nudged the ball away from Veltman just as he was about to take a kick free-kick, receiving a whack on the leg for his troubles.
Current rules state that players who kick the ball away after play has been stopped must be shown a yellow card, which, in that instance, was Rice’s second of the game. As a result, he doesn’t play against Spurs, but will be able to return for the Gunners’ next Premier League game away to City.
Domestic red cards don’t affect the Champions League, which Arsenal begin on Thursday by visiting Italian side Atalanta.
Why isn’t Martin Odegaard playing for Arsenal against Spurs?
As well as Rice, Arsenal are also without captain Martin Odegaard in the North London Derby. The Norwegian suffered an ankle injury during the international break and looks set for a spell on the sidelines, although Arteta had given him a slim chance of facing Spurs.