Arsenal hero Martin Keown has now admitted that Declan Rice is ‘a better player than I ever really believed’ after the midfielder thrived at Sevilla in the Champions League.
The Gunners ran out 2-1 winners at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Tuesday after goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus. The Brazilians fired home on 45+3 and 53 minutes. But Rice helped Arsenal deny Sevilla a comeback when Nemanja Gudelj (58’) pulled a goal back.
Keown admired how Rice was quick to show leadership in Mikel Arteta’s engine room on his third career Champions League appearance. The 24-year-old enjoyed his debut in the UEFA tournament in Arsenal’s 4-0 win over PSV Eindhoven and featured in their defeat at RC Lens.
Keown admits he is ‘now seeing’ what Rice offers Arsenal
Rice had played 21 times in UEFA’s lesser club competitions before joining Arsenal in a club-record transfer from West Ham United. His final act as an Irons player was also in lifting the Europa Conference League. Rice captained West Ham to their first major trophy since 1980.
His form at London Stadium and with England had also seen Rice emerge as one of Europe’s elite defensive midfielders. But Keown now admits that it is only after seeing Rice grow into a leading figure for Arsenal that the Gunners hero truly appreciates everything that he adds.
“The Rodri role, maybe he’s more mobile even than Rodri to do it,” Keown told TNT Sports. “We have to respect what Rodri is doing. But I just feel there is a maturity, a character that is coming into his game. And I actually feel he is a better player than I ever believed he was.
“I’m now seeing it. I’m a real fan of what he’s offering and when you have to dig in in games, he’s the first one with his hand in the air.”
Rice was everywhere with an all-action display at Sevilla
Rice has slotted in seamlessly at Arsenal to be an undroppable player in Arteta’s squad. The 46-cap star has played 13 times in all competitions and scored his second Gunners goal last Saturday. Rice started Arsenal’s comeback at Chelsea by exploiting Robert Sanchez’s error.
His first Arsenal assist followed on Tuesday as Rice passed to Jesus before his superb strike at Sevilla. The West Ham product laid the ball off to the striker, who cut inside and drilled a fierce shot home. Rice was everywhere, launching Arsenal’s attacks and preventing Sevilla’s.
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