Concern has grown among Arsenal supporters after Declan Rice was not seen among the group of first-team players filmed training ahead of Sunday's derby against Chelsea, just days after the midfielder was substituted in the second half of Monday's match against Aston Villa.
While no official word has emerged suggesting Rice is dealing with an injury or fitness issue, his absence from the pre-match preparations has been enough to trigger speculation online about whether he will be available for the high-stakes fixture against the Blues.
The training footage that circulated did include a number of other key figures in Mikel Arteta's squad. Players spotted included Kepa Arrizabalaga, Riccardo Calafiori, Max Dowman, Eberechi Eze, Gabriel, Bruno Guimaraes, Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz, Piero Hincapie, Ezri Konsa, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Noni Madueke, Mikel Merino, Martin Odegaard, David Raya, Marli Salmon, Bukayo Saka, Christian Tzolis, Ben White and Martin Zubimendi.
Notably absent as well was defender Cristhian Mosquera, who had been withdrawn during the recent trip to Villa Park. When questioned on Friday about Mosquera's condition, Arteta downplayed any alarm surrounding the situation.
"It was more precaution than anything else," Arteta said. "We will have to see tomorrow in the session how he feels."
Should Mosquera indeed be unavailable for the derby, it would open the door for Ezri Konsa to make his first full appearance for the club since his £55 million move over the summer, giving Arteta a chance to test his new centre-back option in one of the season's marquee fixtures.
Elsewhere, there was more positive news regarding Jurrien Timber, who Arteta had suggested could be in contention to feature on Sunday after returning to training earlier than initially planned. The Dutch defender has not featured for the Gunners this season, having undergone a minor surgical procedure in the off-season, and had not been expected to be involved again until later in September at the earliest.
However, despite Arteta's earlier optimism, Timber also appeared to be missing from the squad's pre-match walk, raising doubts about whether his return might have been rushed given the timeline of his recovery. It remains to be seen whether he will be included in any capacity for the derby, or whether his comeback will be pushed back further.
With both Rice and Timber's statuses somewhat unclear heading into the weekend, and Mosquera's fitness still being assessed following his precautionary withdrawal against Villa, Arteta faces a number of selection questions as his side prepares to host Chelsea. The uncertainty surrounding several squad members adds an extra layer of intrigue to a fixture that already carries significant weight in the title race context, with both London clubs looking to gain an edge over their rivals.
Arsenal fans will be hoping for further clarity on Rice's situation before kickoff, given his importance to the team's midfield structure, while the emergence of Konsa as a potential debutant and the ongoing Timber saga will also be closely watched as team news is confirmed ahead of the derby.
Based on reporting from Standard Football.