Arsenal’s midfielder came off limping in the closing stages of the Gunners’ 1-0 win over Aston Villa on Monday night.

Arsenal are anxiously awaiting an update on midfielder Declan Rice after the England international was seen limping off at Villa Park during the Gunners’ 1-0 Premier League win against Aston Villa.

Bukayo Saka’s goal in the 59th minute eventually earned all three points for Mikel Arteta’s side, but the victory did not come without a price.

In the 85th minute, Rice had to be taken off while clearly struggling, with Martin Zubimendi coming on in his place to help Arsenal see out the final moments. Only six minutes before Rice went off, centre-back Cristhian Mosquera had gone down clutching his thigh and was replaced by Ezri Konsa, leaving Arteta with a worrying double injury setback.

Arsenal have not yet confirmed whether Rice’s withdrawal was simply a precaution after taking a knock or whether it points to a muscle strain, but his exit certainly raised concerns.

Rice had ongoing fitness problems over the summer while on England duty at the 2026 World Cup, where he was reportedly dealing with neural pain affecting his lower back and hamstrings.

Those physical problems were likely a consequence of a heavy 2025/26 season with Arsenal, in which Rice made 55 appearances for the club and started 49 matches.

There is added concern because of the limited break Rice had between his international commitments and his return to club football.

After England’s final World Cup game on July 18, Rice was given less than four weeks’ rest before linking up with Arsenal for pre-season and then playing in the Community Shield against Manchester City on August 16.

With William Saliba already sidelined for the foreseeable future after picking up a back injury during the World Cup, losing Rice would represent a significant blow.

Arteta will be hoping the midfielder’s problem is only a minor one as Arsenal assess his fitness ahead of the matches to come.