Declan Rice returned to the pitch with a stunning performance and two crucial goals as we began 2026 with a victory against Bournemouth.
The midfielder missed our midweek win over Aston Villa in N5, but was back in from the start at the Vitality Stadium and finished off two excellent moves in the second half to help us to a 3-2 win.
Declan reflected on learning from previous seasons' visits to the South Coast, rectifying previous results against Andoni Iraola's side.
"[It was a] massive win. Really tough place to come, you know, we lost here last season. It was difficult the season before, so we knew what we were in for today," said our brace-scorer.
"The manager made us well aware of that after not the best start. Then to show our character again and come back was massive, and to win 3-2 in the end was a massive result."
Rice admitted it was a bitter pill to swallow to sit out the 4-1 victory over Villa at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, our final game of 2025, but that gave him extra motivation to help the team in the best way possible on Saturday.
"I was fuming," he confessed. "I'd done everything I could to be involved, but it was just no point risking it [against Aston Villa] and I made sure I was back, which was a real positive.
"But to miss that was annoying; to come back today and help the team and score two, I think the fans will be really happy, and I'm happy myself that I could help out, because this team's special and if we're all chipping in together, I'm sure good things will happen."
Martin Odegaard was at the heart of Rice's two goals, assisting the first on the edge of the 18-yard box before sending a perfect pass through to Bukayo Saka on the byline, our No. 7 then cutting it back on a plate for Declan to make it 3-1.
Rice discussed what a pleasure it is to play alongside the skipper and heaped praise on his second-half impact.
"He's so intelligent. I mean, the way he feeds passes for you, the second one, the way he played it through to Bukayo - there aren't many players in the world who can play them passes.
"He heard me - he was going to shoot but he set me back and I was so happy, because the more he assists for us, our teammates, and the more he scores, the more he's firing, it's going to help us do good things. So yeah, delighted with that."
The first of Rice's brace put us into a crucial lead having fallen behind early in the game to Evanilson's goal, before Gabriel equalised as we went in 1-1 at the half-time interval.
Viktor Gyokeres played a huge part in our second, using his strength from Gabriel Martinelli's flicked header to allow Odegaard to set up Rice to fire home.
Declan described the Swede's impact this season as "unbelievable", and assured many more goals of Gyokeres' own will come.
"It's tough for him, because he's got two defenders on him all game, you know, all over him. So he has to use his strength, he has to do all he can to help the team and with that first goal, without him making that run from Gabi's flick and holding it, setting it off to Martin, that goal wouldn't happen.
"So yeah, that was a pivotal moment in the game for us to turn the game on its head, it was massive, and like I said - I see this guy every day. I see his finishing. I see how hard he hits a ball, and when that space arrives for him and the ball's arriving at his feet to score goals, he will 100 percent score. But at the minute, defenders in the Premier League want to be able to stop Viktor Gyokeres, because he's one of the best strikers in the world.
"That happens naturally, you know, when you're playing against the best players. So trust me, he's doing unbelievably for us, we wouldn't be where we are without him. So just keep trying to feed him, keep trying to get him on the scoresheet, and if not, the way he's helping the team is massive, so it's good."
Finally, Declan was reminded of a new song from the travelling support, in tandem with the New Year - something he is very happy about.
"I was trying to figure it out! I thought it was a Christmas song! I thought it was the New Year - 'Christmas has come'! So yeah, I'm really happy with that, the fans are amazing away from home as always.
"They travel, they pay all their hard-earned money, and to start the New Year off with a win and to make them happy is what we do it for, you know.
"We know at Arsenal, the fans are here for what we want to achieve for them, so we just have to keep pushing and doing that."
Read more Report: Bournemouth 2-3 Arsenal
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