Declan Rice came through England’s 2-1 win over Croatia on Thursday night, and that is the best Arsenal news of the break so far. He was back after missing the last internationals through injury, started at Wembley and was rated 6 by BBC Sport. Mikel Arteta can relax about Rice. The game to worry about is Sunday’s, when England visit Spain and Rice, Eze and White line up against Zubimendi, Merino and Raya with only first place in the group at stake.

Earlier on this: our call-ups piece (9 November), the Saka injury update (11 November) and the England 2-1 Croatia report (12 November).

Rice is back and England still looked flat

Rice’s night was solid rather than special. BBC Sport’s Sami Mokbel gave him a 6, the same mark as most of the side, and said he “conducted the midfield expertly”. Tuchel’s team needed a Harry Kane penalty on 64 minutes to win after Jarell Quansah’s mistake let Croatia level. White came on in the 78th minute for Alexander-Arnold.

Seventy-seven minutes on a first game back is the right dose. A player back from injury who starts and comes through without a reported problem has passed the test, and Rice looks on course for Newcastle. Eze was an unused substitute. Konsa and Lewis-Skelly were not in the matchday squad.

Zubimendi plays, Raya waits

Spain beat the Czech Republic 2-0 in Prague through a Baena penalty on 39 minutes and a Marc Pubill goal in the sixth minute of stoppage time. Zubimendi started and was not substituted. Merino came on in the 66th minute and was booked three minutes later, and Raya was on the bench without playing.

Zubimendi lined up in a midfield with Pedri and Fabian Ruiz for the world champions, which is a long way from the January exit talk he dismissed in our Zubimendi piece.

Calafiori in a famous win

Italy came from behind to beat Zinedine Zidane’s France 3-1 at the San Siro, their first home win over France since 1962. Calafiori started and played the full match. Italy are level with France on 10 points and top Group A1 on head-to-head, and Sunday’s final games send them to Belgium. Calafiori finished it without a card.

Concerns

Saka is the only name Arsenal can do nothing about. The Fantasy Premier League data lists a thigh injury with no return date, and Arteta said on 6 November the wait was “weeks, let’s say after the international break”. The Saka injury update has the detail. Gabriel is with Brazil, whose friendlies run to 17 November.

England are through whatever happens and Spain are already in the quarter-finals, but a win in Spain tops the group. Arsenal would rather their six players left that one with only a result to talk about.

Next on duty and the return to Newcastle

Spain v England is on Sunday 15 November at 7.45pm UK time. Italy are at Belgium the same day. Ødegaard’s Norway face Wales on Saturday in the game we previewed here, and Timber and Havertz are also in action this weekend with Netherlands and Germany.

Arsenal’s first game back is at Newcastle on Saturday 21 November at 5.30pm UK time, so the England, Spain and Italy group will have nearly a full week to recover.