Ivan Toney was quick to give one Arsenal player his flowers after an inspired performance against Bournemouth in the Premier League this weekend.
Ivan Toney looks on.
Ivan Toney was quick to respond to Declan Rice after his latest Arsenal heroics.
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Ivan Toney cheekily suggested that Arsenal should consider playing Declan Rice as a striker following yet another standout performance against Bournemouth on Saturday. Rice was in scintillating form at the Vitality Stadium, bagging a brace and helping the Gunners to a 3-2 victory, extending their lead at the top of the Premier League table.
Evanilson initially put the home side ahead, but Gabriel quickly equalised. England's Rice then took centre stage in the second half, scoring twice with about 20 minutes remaining.
Despite Eli Junior Kroupi's best efforts to salvage a point for Bournemouth, his goal served merely as a consolation, with Arsenal taking all three points back to north London. Rice, who is a key cog in Mikel Arteta's dynamic midfield, has now netted four times in 19 Premier League outings this season, also providing five assists.
Following his stellar performance against Bournemouth, the 26-year-old posted a photo on Instagram, captioning it: "Brace on the road." His post quickly drew reactions from fellow footballers, who were quick to praise his current form.
Toney, who left Brentford for Al-Ahli in 2024, commented: "Get him upfront," accompanied by two heart-eyed emojis. Jurrien Timber also chimed in with: "My bro," while Aston Villa and Poland player Matty Cash responded: "Joke," accompanied by a fire emoji.
Meanwhile, England Women's star Chloe Kelly added: "Too good," as Gabriel, Martin Odegaard, Cristhian Mosquera and Kepa Arrizabalaga all posted their own supportive messages.
Declan Rice gestures as he speaks.
Declan Rice was in flying form against Bournemouth.
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It comes as Arsenal are on course to secure their maiden Premier League crown in over two decades should Arteta manage to galvanise his troops to maintain their impressive streak.
Boasting 15 victories and three draws, the Gunners have stumbled just twice this term - suffering a 1-0 reverse to reigning champions Liverpool in August - before then enduring a 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa in early December.
Currently, Arsenal maintain a six-point advantage over Villa in the Premier League table while sitting seven points ahead of third-placed Manchester City.
With the Blues scheduled to take on Chelsea on Sunday evening, Pep Guardiola will be keen to narrow the deficit slightly. Arsenal's next fixture sees them welcome Liverpool to the Emirates Stadium on Thursday, January 8, before tackling Portsmouth and Chelsea in the FA Cup and League Cup respectively.
Premier League encounters with Nottingham Forest, Manchester United and Leeds - alongside Champions League ties against Inter Milan and Kairat - complete a frantic January schedule for the Gunners.
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