Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has now revealed how he prepares for big matches.
Arsenal will need Declan Rice to be at his best as they take on Liverpool in a titanic Premier League clash today.
A win for the Gunners would take them to within two points of the Merseyside outfit, who currently lead the way in the Premier League. However, defeat would see Mikel Arteta’s side cast eight points adrift of the Reds in the title race, severely denting their hopes of being crowned champions this season.
If Arsenal are to get a positive result against Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium this afternoon, then they will need their key players to be at their best. That includes Rice, as well as the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, and Martin Odegaard.
In the last couple of matches, Arsenal have started to look better going forward, with Saka showing signs that he is getting back to his best. It is vital that Arsenal are able to take their chances against Liverpool, which they failed to do when they were recently knocked out of the FA Cup by the Reds.
However, it is equally important that they remain solid defensively, and Rice will have a huge part to play in ensuring that the Gunners aren’t exposed by the kind of quick counter-attacks that Liverpool excel at launching.
How Declan Rice will ensure he is ready to shine in Arsenal v Liverpool
There is plenty of pressure on the former West Ham United man to win the midfield battle today. Fortunately, from an Arsenal perspective, Rice has been able to rise and meet practically every challenge that has come his way so far this season.
The 25-year-old summer signing has now provided an insight into how he prepares for huge matches such as this one. As quoted by the club’s official website, the 48-cap England international said, “I don’t think about it until the day of the game. We know who we’re playing every week and we prepare for that, but I don’t put too much pressure on myself. As I’ve got older, I’ve become a bit more chilled with that. On the day of the game, that’s when I’ll start to really focus and switch on to who we’re playing. Nothing’s changed really.”
Arteta will want Rice to be as relaxed as possible heading into today’s match. None of the Spanish coach’s players can afford to get swept up in or carried away by the occasion. The context of the match, and its title race ramifications, need to be put aside for the duration of the game.
As such, Rice’s approach to such fixtures is sensible. Clearly, he makes a conscious effort not to allow pressure to build upon himself over the course of the days leading up to the game. Given how well he has played in numerous big matches for Arsenal already this season, this mindset clearly works well.
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