Micah Richards was so shocked by what he saw happen to Declan Rice in Arsenal’s draw vs Chelsea

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Micah Richards had his eyes fixed on Declan Rice in Arsenal’s draw with Chelsea, but not for reasons many would expect.

In a game Mikel Arteta branded a ‘proper London derby’, Arsenal drew 1-1 with the ten men of Chelsea to take one point back to N5.

Moises Caicedo’s red card was a key part of the game, as the midfielder walked in the 38th minute, bringing his battle with Rice to a premature end.

There was so much talk about Rice and Caicedo before the game, but by the time Anthony Taylor blew the full-time whistle, it became clear that it was another player who really tested the Arsenal star.

Micah Richards couldn’t believe how Reece James marshalled Declan Rice

Jamie Carragher believes Rice influenced Caicedo’s red card, based on the comparisons between the two leading up to the fixture, which piled on the pressure.

While getting the better of Rice might’ve been Caicedo’s primary concern, it was his teammate Reece James who ultimately got the job done.

After the draw, Micah Richards reacted to the battle between the two England internationals in midfield, clearly shocked by how James marshalled Rice. 

“Did you see Reece James and what he was doing to Declan Rice? He wouldn’t allow him,” Richards said on The Rest Is Football podcast. 

“The whole team went man to man, but more so than ever, Reece James on Declan Rice didn’t let him get a sniff when they were trying to build up, even when the ball went behind him.”

It was a fascinating battle in midfield, one that James came out on top of, dominating the fixture to take home the Man of the Match award.

The Chelsea captain won 11 duels to Rice’s two, bossing the middle of the park in Caicedo’s absence; however, the Arsenal star won’t be too disheartened.

Rice’s record against Chelsea at Arsenal goes on

The match may not have ended in a win for Arsenal, but Rice’s impressive record against Chelsea as a Gunner remained intact.

In his five matches against the Blues, the 26-year-old remains unbeaten, recording two wins and three draws against the club he represented as a youngster.

It’s a strong record to hold in London derbies, but on matchday 13, there’s no doubt that the Englishman would’ve wanted the result to be different, given that Arsenal were up against ten men.

There were plenty of takeaways for Arteta to analyse post-match, one of which was how James was able to contain Rice so expertly.