Mikel Arteta says Declan Rice has become an “emergency” option for Arsenal at centre-back due to their injury issues.
The Gunners are currently without Jurrien Timber due to a knee injury and Takehiro Tomiyasu because of a calf problem.
The situation forced Arteta to start regular centre-backs Gabriel and William Saliba in the 1-1 draw with PSV on Tuesday, despite the game being a dead rubber.
With the Gunners already through to the last 16 of the Champions League as Group B winners, Arteta used the final 30 minutes as a chance to experiment playing Rice at centre-back.
Arteta praised the midfielder’s performance there and explained that is an “emergency” option going forward.
“We are very short at the back and I really wanted to try if something happens, how we’re going to resolve that situation,” he said. “I thought he was really good.
“He has played there before. We have to try as if we have an emergency we have to understand and to be sure that we can fill that gap in the right way.
“He has a lot of composure on the ball, he wins a lot of duels for a player of his size and he has done it in the past. He is a good option.”
Arsenal have impressed during the group stage, reaching the last-16 with a game to spare.
That is despite many of the squad having not played in the competition before this season, and Arteta praised their progress.
“What I have seen is that we can compete at this level and we finished top of the group which is very important and not easy to do,” said Arteta.
“Three top teams and we did it with a game in hand. We have to go game by game and see how we arrive in February, which is the key.
“Overall, I think, very positive. Having not been in the competition for six or seven years and having a team that hasn’t got that much experience, I think we’ve competed really well.
“I really liked the approach of the team in every single game, the way we’ve tried to play.
“We had some big results and big experiences, like the one we had in Seville or Lens, or even today looking at how the team can act and how fair it is to give certain players that exposure when you make so many changes.
“Overall finishing first with a game to play we have to be really happy. Now we have to now close that chapter until February and make sure that when that chapter opens up again that we’re in the best place to compete against another top side.”
