Declan Rice humiliated Roy Keane with what he did for Arsenal vs Sporting CP

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Arsenal sent a statement to Europe by ending Sporting CP’s unbeaten run at home on match day five of the Champions League.

The Gunners demolished Sporting 5-1 at the Estadio Jose Alvalade, moving up the Champions League table to get back on track. 

Martin Odegaard earned high praise against Sporting, as did William Saliba, who moved into Arsenal’s record books. 

It was also a memorable night for Declan Rice, who hit a milestone for the Gunners during the dominating victory.

• READ MORE: Martin Odegaard dazzles and two others get 8/10 – Arsenal player ratings vs Sporting CP

Declan Rice humiliated Roy Keane against Sporting CP  

Against Sporting, Rice recorded an assist, which marked his 20th goal contribution since joining Arsenal in 2023.

Roy Keane has blasted Rice in the past for his apparent weakness in the final third, something he’s left the Irishman red-faced over. 

To put into perspective how much the midfielder’s game has transformed at the Emirates, it took the Englishman 245 appearances to hit 28 goal contributions at West Ham.

In only 66 appearances, Rice has 20 contributions for the Gunners, putting Keane’s former comments to shame in the best way possible. 

Arsenal fans have been sceptical about Rice playing further forward over this season however, there’s little doubt that the 25-year-old’s impact in the role is valuable.

What Keane actually said about Rice

Sporting’s manager spotted Rice’s movement between roles, admitting that he expected the England international to play more advanced.

Rice’s best position was discussed by pundits earlier this season, with it now abundantly clear that his presence in the pocket between defence and attack is crucial.

Keane’s rant about the Arsenal star took place before his move across London to join Arteta’s project, where he called on the midfielder to ‘do more’ in a range of attacking areas.

“He doesn’t score enough goals, he doesn’t get enough assists, he needs to do more in every aspect,” Keane said to ITV in March 2023.

“Sometimes he’s just going through the motions. Playing it sideways, backwards, taking the easy option. He needs to do a lot more to match up with the other top midfielders.”

By Keane’s assessment, Rice is now officially a ‘top midfielder’ now that he’s frequently contributing in the final third, an opinion that the Arsenal superstar is unlikely to acknowledge.