Arsenal injury worries pile up with doubts over return of Saka from achilles issue

• Rice faces late fitness test for clash with Sporting

• Arteta has ‘zero fear’ could end season without silverware

Mikel Arteta has insisted that he has “zero fear” that Arsenal could end the season without silverware but admitted that there are major doubts over when Bukayo Saka will return from an achilles injury.

Arsenal head into the second leg of their Champions League tie against Sporting on Wednesday having lost three of their last four matches in all competitions, culminating with Saturday’s damaging home defeat to Bournemouth in the Premier League that left the door open to title rivals Manchester City.