Rice, 25, is serving a one-match suspension after getting sent off during Arsenal's 1-1 draw with Brighton last month, while both Odegaard, 25, and Merino, 28, have picked up injuries. Merino, who joined from Real Sociedad in the summer, fractured his shoulder in his very first Arsenal training session and may have to wait at least two months to make his debut.
Odegaard, meanwhile, sustained an ankle injury during Norway's Nations League tie with Austria on Tuesday, with initial reports claiming the midfielder could miss around three weeks of action. Tottenham, however, aren't so sure that's true.
According to The Independent, there are some in the Spurs' camp who doubt the severity of Odegaard's injury, and think he'll be fit for Sunday's match. Suspicions were raised because Arsenal were slow to release details about the injury, despite the fact they would have had results from the scan as early as Wednesday.
Speaking ahead of the game, which takes place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Mikel Arteta added fuel to the fire by refusing to rule Odegaard out of contention. "We need some more tests," he told reporters.
"Let's see what happens in the next day or so. He is super positive about everything. Martin wants to be there every single day."
If Odegaard does miss out, it could open the door for an unorthodox tactical approach. Arteta is well aware of the quality Spurs have in midfield, and it's understood he's considering a bold, new setup for the match if indeed he's left short in the centre of the park.
The plan the Spaniard is considering is one where Arsenal sit deep, soak up pressure, and then hit Tottenham with pace on the counter. In recent seasons, the Gunners have had around 56-60 per cent possession in most games, so allowing Spurs to have the lion's share of the ball would represent a significant philosophical change for the team.
As for Tottenham, both Dominic Solanke, who has missed the club's last two Premier League matches through injury, and Micky Van de Ven are expected to play. However, doubts remain over the availability of Yves Bissouma after he was forced off during Mali's win over Eswatini earlier this week.
Odegaard injured
Odegaard limped out of Norway's tie with Austria earlier this week, and was later spotted on crutches
"He [Bissouma] has got a bit of an issue, but we'll have a look at him over the next couple of days and see how it settles," Ange Postecoglou told SPURSPLAY. He also ruled Richarlison out of the game, insisting the Brazilian "still has a bit of work to do" to get back to full fitness.
A win for Tottenham would see them leapfrog Arsenal in the table. Spurs are currently 10th after winning just one of their first three league games.
The Gunners, who are fourth, are undefeated, with two wins and a draw from their opening three matches. Victory for them would see them keep pace with table-toppers Manchester City and Liverpool, both of whom have
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