Arsenal's Declan Rice still a doubt but Chelsea could have Cole Palmer back

Mikel Arteta said there is "no clarity" on Declan Rice's availability for Arsenal’s game against Chelsea on Sunday.

The 25-year-old has not trained this week, missing Wednesday’s Champions League defeat to Inter Milan, and the manager would not say whether reports the player has a broken toe are accurate.

However, there was a more promising update on the fitness of captain Martin Odegaard after the captain made his first appearance in almost two months as a late substitute in the San Siro.

"I have to be very vague (on Rice) because there’s no clarity whether he’s going to be fit or not for the weekend," Arteta said.

Asked whether Rice had broken his toe during last weekend’s 1-0 loss to Newcastle, Arteta added: "That’s for the doctor. What I can say is he hasn’t trained yet and it’s not clear whether he’s going to be available or not to play."

Arsenal’s form has slumped in recent weeks and the return of skipper Odegaard to the line-up cannot come quickly enough as Arteta seeks to arrest a sequence of one point from three Premier League games.

The 1-0 defeat in Milan was their third in six in all competitions but it is domestically where the situation is growing most urgent, with a seven-point gap having opened up to Liverpool at the top of the table.

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Arteta confirmed that Odegaard is in line to make his first start since September’s draw against Brighton.

"Everybody that is in the squad is going to be fit and available to start, then it will be a decision whether it’s too early or it’s