Mikel Arteta ‘sure’ Declan Rice can play with £28.5m Arsenal star and ‘exceptional’ teammate

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Mikel Arteta is confident that Arsenal can boast a dream midfield trio involving Declan Rice with stars already at Emirates Stadium despite a frustrating start to their season.

Form has not always been in the Gunners’ favour through their first 15 games of the Premier League campaign. Arteta has so far struggled to oversee a string of consistent results, with Arsenal at best enjoying a three-game winning streak alongside a pair of back-to-back wins.

A 1-1 draw at home to Brighton & Hove Albion, a 2-0 defeat at AFC Bournemouth and a 1-1 draw at Fulham curtailed Arsenal’s winning streaks so far this term. The north London team even stomached a four-fixture winless run started by their shock defeat on the south coast.

Mikel Arteta backs Declan Rice, Mikel Merino and Martin Odegaard to be Arsenal’s dream midfield

Losing Martin Odegaard after the ankle injury the Norwegian suffered on international duty in September proved immensely costly to Arsenal, who are unbeaten in the Premier League when their captain has featured this term. He also has a goal and two assists in eight games.

Arsenal’s midfield often lacked a connection with their attack throughout Odegaard’s seven-match absence. His connection with Bukayo Saka on Arsenal’s right wing is also essential for Arteta’s system to operate, with the Gunners regularly leaning on the pair to lead their style.

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Odegaard has influenced his only goals so far this season since returning from injury, whilst featuring in Arsenal’s midfield with Thomas Partey, Rice, Jorginho and Mikel Merino. Arteta, though, is confident that a unit of Merino, Rice and Odegaard can be Arsenal’s ideal engine.

Arteta shared in his pre-game press conference on Friday: “There have been recently a lot of new units and, certainly, that was one that we had planned and discussed, and I think they can play so well together.

“They did a really good job, they will play again together for sure in the near future. I think they complement each other really well. They are intelligent and have football brains. They are three players who like to play for others especially.

“You have players who can hold the ball in tight spaces, they can run with the ball, they have [a] threat in the box, you have creativity in tight spaces [and] you have a lot of the things that you want.

“In the defensive part, as well, you have two players who are more are holding midfielders and Martin is exceptional in his timings and aggression in the high press, so it’s very good.”

Mikel Merino, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard have never started together in the Premier League

Arteta is so far yet to field Merino, Rice and Odegaard as Arsenal’s starting midfield trio for a Premier League game. But the trio started together in their engine room for the first time on Wednesday night when Arsenal edged AS Monaco 3-0 in the Champions League at home.

Merino cost Arsenal £28.5m to sign from Real Sociedad in the summer, in a deal which could ultimately set the Gunners back £32.5m if he triggers all adds-on included. Yet the 28-year-old has so far only played in eight games in the Premier League, and has only started in four.

Arteta, however, is clearly confident that a midfield three of Merino with Rice and Odegaard is the way forward for Arsenal. Time will tell if they truly give the Gunners the complete unit that their manager feels may be on offer with the Spain, England and Norway internationals.