Arsenal have gone four points clear at the top of the Premier League table following their 1-0 victory against Crystal Palace on Sunday. And Mikel Arteta's side are benefitting from the performances of one individual in particular as they continue their title charge.
The London rivalry provided a stern test for the Gunners, with Oliver Glasner's men making a stellar start to the 2025/26 season. But Arsenal continued to combine defensive solidity with attacking threat, as former Eagle Eberechi Eze lashed a loose ball home to score his first goal for the north Londoners since his £68m move from Selhurst Park.
Arsenal continued to push for a second goal, hitting the woodwork after half-time, all while locking their opponents out. It's a combination of ruthlessness in front of goal and stubborn defence that has seen them become favourites for Premier League silverware this term, with rivals Liverpool and Manchester City dropping points early on.
Declan Rice Excellent Against Crystal Palace
Arsenal's Declan Rice
Premier League - Arsenal v Crystal Palace - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - October 26, 2025 Arsenal's Declan Rice in action Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs
One man who has played a part in Arsenal's attacking and defensive setup has been Declan Rice. The England international has become the complete midfield package since arriving at the Emirates from West Ham United, with Arteta giving him the licence to get forward and create rather than simply sit in front of the defence and act as a shield.
That freedom has been expanded further following the signing of Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad. Rice has a goal and two assists in the league after nine matches so far, but it's his all-round play that has impressed viewers so much. His range of passing is superb and his set-piece delivery makes him a huge threat from multiple areas on the pitch.
And the 26-year-old was up to his usual tricks against Palace. While he did not add to his goal or assist tally against the Eagles, he might well have done had Arsenal possessed more cutting edge. Rice played three key passes and racked up an expected assist total of 0.61, with him at his creative best. And it was his set-piece delivery which led to Eze's all-important goal.
Check out Rice's statistics against Crystal Palace below:
Declan Rice in Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
Touches
Expected Goals
Expected Assists
Key Passes
Passing Accuracy
Crosses (Accurate)
Tackles (won)
Interceptions
Clearances
It's hard to deny that he is one of the best midfielders in the world at this point, and many Arsenal fans took to social media during the game express how delighted they were with his performance. One said, "Declan Rice has been monumental today," a sentiment that was echoed by another fan, who wrote, "Declan Rice is soo good to watch."
Others chose to highlight his consistent threat from set pieces, which has helped give the Gunners an extra edge in attack. "Nicolas Jover is an excellent set piece coach, no doubt," one fan stated. "That said, every single Premier League team would score more goals if they had Declan Rice’s quality of delivery." Someone else said, "We need to have a discussion on Declan Rice and his deliveries because not even David Beckham was this consistent."
The only downside to Rice's Sunday was his early withdrawal from the game, as he trudged off the pitch after seemingly picking up a knock. Arsenal fans will hope that Arteta's substitution was only precautionary and that he'll be fit enough to feature in their upcoming games against Brighton and Burnley next week.