Arsenal star Declan Rice clarifies injury status and why he nearly missed Sporting clash

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Declan Rice was initially a doubt to face Sporting CP but he captained Arsenal on Wednesday night as they reached the Champions League semi-finals

Declan Rice has dismissed claims he's playing through injury and declared himself "fully fit" ahead of Arsenal's crunch Premier League title showdown at the Etihad Stadium.

Mikel Arteta revealed on Tuesday that Rice was facing a late fitness test for Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final second-leg against Sporting.

But Rice made himself available despite battling illness that left him bedridden ahead of the goalless draw at the Emirates Stadium.

The England international told football.london: "Yes, I’m fully fit. I’ve been ill the last two days. I’ve been in bed not well. So to get out tonight, obviously I perked up this morning enough to be able to play.

"I wasn’t at 100 per cent, but [I wanted] to help this team out. There was no way I was missing a quarter-final to try and get to a semi-final.

"I was well enough to be able to go out there and play tonight. But yes, just a little illness and I’m over it now. So yeah, on to Sunday."

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football.london then asked Rice whether he took it upon himself to play versus Sporting purely because Arsenal were already starved of several key leaders due to the absences of captain Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber.

Rice replied: "Yes, definitely. I think we want those players back. We need them back. They are three of our biggest and best players. We’ve missed them a lot this year in big games.

"But, if the game was yesterday, I probably wouldn’t have been able to have played, or the day before. But the fact that I perked up enough to be able to play, I knew in myself and in my head that I was ready to go out there and play.

"That’s what it’s about, you know, to play for this club under any condition. So I’m happy I’ve done that tonight and we’re through."

Arteta revealed post-match that Arsenal's players voted for Rice to captain the side over the past two games in the absence of Odegaard.

Usually, Gabriel Magalhaes would have worn the armband but it appears Rice is now moving towards being the club's vice-captain.

The Spaniard said: "They made a decision. They made a decision because Declan has earned the status and the role.

"The way he's taken ownership in difficult moments. He's a great leader, he's a top player for us and I love that the players take that ownership."