Mikel Arteta says Declan Rice is likely to feature against his former club West Ham on Wednesday.
Rice will return to the London Stadium for the first time since completing his £105m move to the Gunners in July for his side’s Carabao Cup round of 16 clash.
The 24-year-old spent ten years at West Ham and helped his former club to win the Europa Conference League trophy last season.
And the Arsenal boss is hoping that the fans of his former side give him a good reception.
“He’s likely,” Arteta said when asked if Rice will play against West Ham.
“He can be involved, it would be his first time back there at his old club and a beautiful moment for him.
“I think it’s beautiful, I had the experience to do it a few times and then you really see what they think of you and what you left at that club.
“It’s really good way to measure your experience and your reality with the people who shared those moments with you.
And asked if he will receive a positive reception, Arteta added: “I would say so and I hope so. Especially because every time you hear him talk about West Ham and what they did for him and everybody at the club, he cannot speak any more highly.
“Hopefully, it will be the same way towards him.”
Arsenal will again be without Gabriel Jesus and Thomas Partey as both continue their recovery from muscle injuries while Martin Odegaard could again be rested after being left on the bench against Sheffield United with what Mikel Arteta described as a “little” injury.
“The context is a bit different (to the previous round) because we’ve picked up some injuries and we don’t have so much availability in terms of the squad,” Arteta added.
“But we prepare the game the same way we did there and try to win it.”
