Declan Rice likely to miss Arsenal's match against Aston Villa. The reason revealed

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice is highly unlikely to feature in the Premier League Round 19 clash against Aston Villa.

Details: According to The Athletic, the reason is a knee injury that Rice picked up during last Saturday's Premier League match against Brighton (2-1).

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Rice sustained the injury during the game but managed to see out the match. Despite optimism from both the player and the medical staff, he is currently not ready to return to action. The club prefers not to risk the player's health or aggravate the injury.

Rice's absence is expected to be short-term, though an exact recovery timeline has yet to be set.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that Arsenal are counting on the return of Jurrien Timber, who missed the Brighton fixture. Ben White, who had previously been sidelined with a hamstring issue, is also progressing rapidly in his recovery.

It's worth noting that the Arsenal vs Aston Villa match will take place today, December 30, at 21:15 Central European Time.

Reminder: Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta stated that new signings are expected for the London club this winter.