Kieran Gibbs hopes the return of Declan Rice will steady the Arsenal ship following Saturday’s shock FA Cup defeat against Southampton.

The Gunners failed to bounce back from their Wembley loss against Manchester City prior to the international break after a chastening experience on the south coast.

With talk of an unprecedented quadruple proving to be premature in the extreme, Mikel Arteta’s men cannot afford any more setbacks in the next week if their remaining hopes of silverware are to avoid being jeopardised.

Rice was absent at St Mary’s having missed both of England’s friendlies over the course of the international break.

With Martin Zubimendi not risked given concerns over a knee injury, Christian Norgaard was left to almost single-hadedly marshal the Arsenal midfield against Southampton and was comprehensively overrun.

Rice, it is hoped, will be fit enough to start against Sporting Lisbon in midweek before Arsenal resume their Premier League campaign against Bournemouth next weekend.

‘From the start they looked vulnerable from the counter attack which we haven’t seen too much from Arsenal,’ former Gunners left-back Gibbs told ESPNFC.

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