Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori are set to return for Arsenal ahead of their Premier League clash against Crystal Palace on Saturday, providing a significant boost for the team. Rice missed the Gunners’ recent 3-2 Carabao Cup victory over Palace due to a minor injury, while Calafiori has been out since early December. His absence allowed 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly to start at left-back in the last league match, a 0-0 draw against Everton, but Calafiori is expected to reclaim his position.

Manager Mikel Arteta also confirmed that Oleksandr Zinchenko is in contention to play. Speaking on the occasion of his five-year anniversary as Arsenal manager, Arteta reflected on his tenure, stating, “I really enjoyed it. It’s gone really fast. I’m really grateful to be in the position I am now. I have a lot to learn and improve. The best is still to come.”

When asked about the biggest changes during his time at the club, he highlighted the “unity and connection” within the team and noted that they are now competing at higher levels than in previous years. “That’s positive, but there’s still a lot to do,” he added, emphasizing the club’s ambition to win major trophies while maintaining the foundation they’ve built.