Arsenal supporters braced for bad news over the weekend after Declan Rice left the field with a back problem during the 2-0 victory over West Ham.

Now, according to EPL Index, there is relief rather than panic across both club and country.

The midfielder had opened the scoring against his former side before signalling to the bench in the 79th minute. Mikel Arteta reacted immediately, replacing him with Mikel Merino and offering little reassurance post match.

“He’s not all right because he asked me to come off, so that’s a shame,” Arteta said. “He had a pain in his back and he could not carry on which is something very unusual for Declan so we’ll have to assess him and see how he is.”

Those comments sparked concern given Rice’s reputation for durability. However, medical checks on Sunday delivered encouraging results.

Rather than remaining at London Colney for treatment, he travelled to St George’s Park to link up with the England squad as planned. By Monday afternoon he was involved in training on the indoor pitches alongside all 24 members of the group.

Also Read: It Was Difficult For Barca To Handle Sevilla Pressure –Pedri

The timing could not be more important for Arsenal. After the international break they resume with a London derby away to Fulham on Saturday 18 October before facing Atletico Madrid and Crystal Palace within the space of seven days.

With fixtures stacking up across competitions Arteta will be counting on Rice to anchor midfield battles and maintain rhythm in transitions.

England staff will likewise be relieved. Rice’s leadership has become a fixture in Gareth Southgate’s setup and his presence in recovery sessions suggests no enforced reshuffle is necessary.

With tournament planning already underway continuity is valuable. Rice does not just provide defensive assurance, he drives tempo and maintains standards both in possession and off the ball.