Declan Rice has been excellent for Arsenal in recent months.
Despite the Gunners struggling generally, Rice has stepped up and delivered consistently impressive performances for Mikel Arteta’s team.
The Englishman has established himself as one of the leaders in the North Londoners’ squad, and the hierarchy should be looking to build the team’s midfield around him moving forward.
Wayne Rooney praised Rice for the tactical role that the former West Ham man played in Arsenal’s win over Chelsea prior to the international break, and he’ll be looking to replicate this next month in the Champions League tie against Real Madrid.
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Declan Rice reveals message Oleksandr Zinchenko sent to him
Rice is renowned for his immense physicality and durability on the pitch.
The 26-year-old is relentless in his running, constantly popping up all over the place to put out fires while he also frequently rampages forward with the ball.
The Arsenal squad have clearly recognised these physical qualities, as Rice revealed in August that his teammates call him ‘the horse’.
Asked about his nickname on the England YouTube channel in a video with Myles Lewis-Skelly and Durn Burn this week, the midfielder provided some context as to where the label originates from.
He revealed that it is indeed related to his running style, before expanding by detailing a recent story involving Oleksandr Zinchenko.
“On Instagram the other day, I had a notification come up,” he said.
“Zinchenko sent me a video and I thought ‘What is that?’. He sent me this horse running on a beach and he was like, ‘this is you’.”
Lewis-Skelly and Burn burst out laughing, with Zinchenko’s amusing message a clear indication of the close-nit camaraderie around the Arsenal squad.
Declan Rice reveals which England goal he likes to recreate
Lewis-Skelly is expected to make his England debut alongside Rice, either on Friday night against Monday or on Monday against Latvia.
The duo were talking to the Three Lions’ YouTube channel about their experience with the national team over the years, and Rice revealed what his first England memory was.
“My first England memory, is actually a specific goal because I tried to recreate it,” he said.
“Do you remember Joe Cole’s goal? He was my favourite player as a kid, Joe Cole, his goal against Sweden where he chested it and volleyed it, it hit the post and went in?
“He ran off celebrating… In playgrounds, at school, when you play with your mates, everyone used to just, even when you were a kid, you’d say ‘Rooney’ and pretend to be a player wouldn’t you?
“And that Joe Cole goal for me that was what, made me think ‘wow’ that was special because he was so good back then.”
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