Richard Keys claims Mikel Arteta ‘will cost Arsenal the title’ this season following his decision to rest Declan Rice for their 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest.
The England international was dropped from Arsenal’s first XI for their first game after the international break, with Arteta confirming before kick-off that the decision was made with Arsenal’s busy schedule in mind.
Including the Forest victory, the Gunners face a run of seven games in 21 days, with Premier League clashes against Manchester City and Newcastle alongside Champions League meetings with Athletic Bilbao and Olympiakos.
Keys was not particularly pleased with Arteta’s decision to rest Rice, who came on in the second half for Viktor Gyokeres, claiming the Spanish manager ‘got it wrong today’ and suggesting Arsenal should ‘put everything you’ve got into this early part of the season’.
Richard Keys Slams Mikel Arteta
richard keys
Speaking on BeIN SPORTS ahead of kick-off, Keys slammed Arteta for resting Rice and claimed the Spanish tactician ‘will cost Arsenal the title this year’:
“For me, the one thing that will cost Arsenal the title this year is Mikel Arteta. Got it wrong at Liverpool, badly wrong. Got it wrong today for me.
“How many games has Declan Rice played? Rested.
“Surely you put everything you’ve got into this early part of the season and say, ‘Go and get me a league, go and make a statement’.”
Fellow presenter Andy Gray backed Keys’ view, warning that a decision to rest Rice could ‘come and bite’ Arsenal towards the end of the season:
“Listen, you should do exactly that. Get a good start, go and beat teams, stay up there, top of the league.
“It’s a little disrespectful to suggest that he’s resting them because they’re playing Nottingham Forest. That can come and bite you.”
Rice started in all of Arsenal’s three Premier League games before being benched on Saturday, assisting twice in wins over Manchester United and Leeds.
The England international made 35 league appearances last term, starting 33 games, and featured 19 times across other competitions, scoring nine goals and providing 10 assists.
Six players played every single minute of Premier League football for their respective clubs in 2024/25, including Arsenal shot-stopper David Raya.
In 2023/24, William Saliba became the first outfielder in Arsenal’s history to feature in all 38 games from start to finish, earning a nomination for the Premier League Player of the Year.