Walcott says Rice took Arsenal up a level in specific role v Manchester City

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Former Arsenal forward Theo Walcott has heaped praise on Declan Rice following his display against Manchester City.

Arsenal ended a run of twelve consecutive Premier League defeats against Manchester City with a 1-0 win at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. Declan Rice played a key role in getting the Gunners over the line.

The match itself was not a Premier League classic, by any means. It was a cagey, attritional affair, in which both defences looked supreme. At least, that was the case until Gabriel Martinelli broke the deadlock in the 86th minute with a deflected effort.

Whilst that moment won the match, Mikel Arteta orchestrated this victory on the basis of putting in a solid, patient performance. Rice is the player that allows Arsenal to play against City in such a manner.

Rice rises to occasion 

Arsenal trusted their defensive prowess. William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes were magnificent at the back. Erling Haaland didn’t even manage a single shot. However, it was the patrolling presence of Rice ahead of them that really unsettled Pep Guardiola’s side.

The £240,000-a-week 24-year-old grew into the game, and by the end was the dominant force in the middle of the park. According to WhoScored statistics, he made three tackles, three interceptions, and two clearances. Rice was also on hand to make a goal-line clearance early on.

Speaking on Sky Sports (08/10/2023, 19:00) after the match, Theo Walcott gave Rice a glowing review. He said, “Declan was that player to bring Arsenal to the next level…his role today was to protect that back four. Simple as that.”

Simple though his job may have been, Rice executed it to perfection. Arsenal shelled out a club-record £105 million to prise him away from West Ham United in the recent summer transfer window precisely to give them the edge in huge matches like this. He made that difference today to help ensure the north London club secured a landmark result.