BBC pundit hails Arsenal 25-year-old for ‘dominating’ Crystal Palace in Premier League

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BBC pundit Mark Warburton praised Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice for ‘dominating’ Crystal Palace over Saturday afternoon’s Premier League derby at Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners welcomed the Eagles to north London for their first top-flight contest on home soil this calendar year. Arsenal had not hosted a Premier League fixture at Emirates Stadium since losing to West Ham United. They were also on a run of three losses in all competitions.

Arsenal had even only won one of their seven games previous to facing Roy Hodgson’s south London side. But Gabriel Magalhaes (11’) gave the Gunners an ideal start as he turned Rice’s corner home. Mikel Arteta’s squad then found their groove to see Rice astound Warburton.

Arsenal star Declan Rice is praised for ‘dominating’ Crystal Palace

The former Brentford and QPR manager loved how Rice controlled the game to give Arsenal early control against Crystal Palace. Warburton felt the 25-year-old took charge of the core of the pitch from the start, which allowed the Gunners to run in behind the Eagles’ defence.

“Rice is dominating the middle areas,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live. “Arsenal are getting runners in behind, particularly Havertz, and I think Roy Hodgson will be very concerned right now.”

Arsenal recorded control of 62.5% of the possession through the opening half an hour when Warburton praised Rice’s early work against Crystal Palace, per WhoScored. Rice had further ranked second only to Oleksandr Zinchenko (38) for touches on 36 ahead of Gabriel on 32.

Declan Rice got his second Premier League assist of the season

Zinchenko and Rice also led the Premier League affair for passes attempted (34 and 31) and accurate passes (30 and 29). No Crystal Palace player attempted more than 17 passes in the opening half an hour. Joachim Andersen further took the Eagles’ most touches with only 21.

The control that Rice offers Arsenal in games is one of the main reasons why Arteta targeted his transfer from West Ham last summer, as well. But his corner yielded the 48-cap England anchor’s second assist in his 21st Premier League appearance with the Gunners to date, too.