Mikel Arteta can’t look back after Arsenal star’s ‘best performance of the season’ in Liverpool draw

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There were several top performers on show in Arsenal’s dramatic 2-2 draw against Liverpool.

The Emirates played host to a true Premier League blockbuster as the Gunners faced Arne Slot’s in-form side.

Mikel Arteta would have been desperate to get the win, with Arsenal conceding in the 81st minute to see Mohamed Salah level the scoring late on. 

Squandering two leading positions could haunt the Gunners by the end of the season however, there were still plenty of positives to take from the action on match day nine.

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Declan Rice praised for his performance against Liverpool

Amid a host of key absences, Arsenal’s first team regulars had to step up, which is what the majority of those in the starting lineup did.

A lot of praise will go to Bukayo Saka as he netted his 50th Premier League goal, while summer signing Mikel Merino scored his first in red and white.

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Aside from the goal scorers, two players made a remarkable impact against Liverpool, as Thomas Partey and Declan Rice stood up.

Partey played right-back while Rice was finally fielded by Arteta in his favoured number six role, which journalist Charles Watts pinpointed after the draw. 

“Best performance of the season by a mile from Declan Rice, I thought he was absolutely exceptional in that six role that so many people think he can’t play in for some reason,” Watts said on the Inside Arsenal podcast.

“He was brilliant, he won so many tackles, there was some brilliant passing from him as well, I loved Rice’s performance, I think him and Partey were by far the standout performers on the pitch.”

Rice sent Mikel Arteta a message with Liverpool display

It’s been a strange season so far for Rice, who hasn’t been particularly bad, but hasn’t been as mesmerising as he was last term.

Many put this down to the former West Ham captain’s positioning, as Arteta favours playing him on the left side of central midfield. 

• READ MORE: Roy Keane left absolutely stunned by what ‘unbelievable’ Arsenal star did in frustrating Liverpool draw

Now, the Spaniard has seen that the Englishman is far better suited to the deeper role in the engine room, with there no argument over where the £105m man’s best position is. 

Arsenal ticked better with Rice in that area against Liverpool, with the 2023 arrivals presence allowing Merino and Leandro Trossard to put their stamp on the game further forward. 

When Martin Odegaard is back from injury, Arteta could unearth the perfect balance in midfield by keeping Rice deep and deploying Merino alongside the skipper, a trio that has a bit of everything.