Was Declan Rice’s performance versus Liverpool his finest thus far this season?
Arsenal and Liverpool played out to a 2-2 draw, and while some may easily identify negatives from the game, there were also notable positives.
One significant highlight from Sunday night was that Rice is undeniably back. He delivered a standout performance, dominating the pitch, thwarting every Liverpool attempt to advance, and proving deadly on set pieces.
Rice’s monster perfomance was responsible for the significant disparity between Arsenal and Liverpool in the first half; the Reds struggled. The delivery he executed from that free kick for Mikel Merino’s header, which led to Arsenal’s second goal just before halftime, crowned his performance in that half
Statistics don’t lie. The Englishman, in his 250th Premier League appearance, put up a top performance against the Reds:
85% pass accuracy
5 passes into the final third
5 ball recoveries
3 interceptions
2 chances created
2 tackles attempted
2 tackles won
1 assist
The Englishman’s impressive performance on Sunday suggests that he could also excel in the Thomas Partey role (#6), provided he plays there. Meanwhile, Mikel Merino maintains his position (LCM), with Martin Odegaard clearly positioned alongside him (at RCM).
However, benching Thomas Partey presents a significant challenge, so it will be intriguing to see how Mikel Arteta navigates the situation when all his midfielders are fit.
