Why Declan Rice is missing Liverpool vs Arsenal as Mikel Arteta decision explained

Arsenal have confirmed that misses out for against through injury.

Rice played the full 90 minutes for the Gunners against in their Champions League semi-final second leg. However, the midfielder is not in the matchday squad at Anfield.

acknowledged before kick-off that Rice is "not fit". "Declan couldn't even train," the manager explained," so he's injured unfortunately and couldn't make the game."

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has replaced the midfielder in the starting line-up. reverts to a midfield role rather than leading the line. He joins and in the middle, as and flank Trossard.

It is the first time Rice has missed a match this year. He was last unavailable for a game on 18 December, when a knock kept Rice out of the quarter-final against at the .

The player's enforced absence ends a streak of 21 consecutive starts for club and country stretching back to late January. The last match Rice did not start was the final Champions League league phase game versus Girona, in which he came on as an 82nd-minute substitute.

However, during that run, Rice has been replaced during the second half nine times, completing the entire match in the other 12. The most recent of those withdrawals came last weekend, when he came off after playing 74 minutes against .

Rice notably picked up a knock during the Champions League quarter-final first leg against . Afterwards, Arteta said: "I think Dec had an issue with his foot."

The only other change sees replace at right-back, with Arteta also acknowledging the latter is "not fit". The back four of , and remains, with in goal.