Arsenal hit by double injury setback as Rice and Mosquera exit Villa win
Arsenal's 1-0 victory over Aston Villa was marred by the loss of Cristhian Mosquera and Declan Rice to injuries, raising concerns over midfield depth.
Declan Rice limped off and Cristhian Mosquera was forced to leave the pitch with a muscular problem as Arsenal held on for a 1-0 win at Villa Park, Bukayo Saka’s 59th‑minute strike proving decisive.
Mosquera, who joined Arsenal this summer for £51m after seven years at Villa, went down clutching his thigh in the 78th minute. He was replaced by former Villa defender Ezri Konsa, making his return debut for the club. The defender’s exit adds to Arsenal’s defensive worries, with William Saliba already ruled out until at least October following a back injury sustained in France’s World Cup semi‑final loss.
Six minutes later Rice was withdrawn, with Martin Zubimendi coming on. The England international has endured a demanding 2025/26 campaign, logging 55 appearances and 49 starts, and previously suffered neural pain in his lower back and hamstring at the World Cup. Arteta will be hoping the Villa knock is merely a knock‑on rather than a recurrence of those issues.
If either player is sidelined for an extended period, Arsenal could seek a medical exemption to register a replacement outside the normal transfer window, a mechanism that allows clubs to maintain squad depth when long‑term injuries occur.
The win and the injury drama come as the two sides prepare for future fixtures. Villa Park set for 37,000‑strong showdown as Villa host Arsenal.
