Arsenal flexed their muscles with a thumping win over Leeds United, despite losing Bukayo Saka in the warm-up, before Declan Rice led by example at Elland Road
Declan Rice of Arsenal looks on during their thrashing of Leeds United
Declan Rice of Arsenal looks on during their thrashing of Leeds United(Image: 2026 Getty Images)
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Arsenal might have lost a captain before kick off. But Mikel Arteta gained a new one in this thumping win at Elland Road.
Arteta handed the armband to Gabriel, after seeing Bukayo Saka suffer a hip problem in the warm up. But he might as well have passed it to Declan Rice instead. Because if a leader is measured on actions and deeds, then Rice is the most outstanding one Arsenal have.
It remains to be seen if Arsenal go on to become English champions this season. But if they do, no-one will be more deserving of his medal than Rice.
Arteta chose to drop Martin Odegaard for this trip to Leeds. Which piled even more responsibility on Rice in the heart of Arsenal's midfield.
Rice was tasked with shielding his back four. He took corners and long throw-ins. He marshalled his team-mates around the pitch. He won tackles, distributed the ball with simplicity and precision and led from the back, as well as the front. But what was the most impressive thing of all about Rice, was how he brought calm to all the chaos around him.
No win in three games had cranked up the pressure on Arteta and his players.
Waiting for them was a crowd baying for blood, backing a team which had lost just one of their last 11 games, and not been defeated on home soil since November. Elland Road is not for the feint hearted. Throw in the fact Arsenal had not lost to Leeds since 2003, and all the attention was on the visitors.
But Rice rose to the challenge, just like he is rising up the rankings of the best midfielders in the game.
He pumped his fists to his team-mates before kick off. He knew the significance of this game and result.
Rice had chants of 'You'll **ck it up" ringing in his ears, along with a vile one associating him with Jimmy Savile. But nothing fazed him.
"Mentally, he is a player that can cope with absolutely everything," said Arteta. And nowhere demands more mental toughness than a white hot Elland Road.
Declan Rice outjumps Leeds defender Joe Rodon
Declan Rice outjumps Leeds defender Joe Rodon(Image: AFP or licensors)
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This game promised to shape Arsenal's season. One in which Arsenal are looking to go and become champions for the first time in 22 years. When Arsenal went 2-0 up before half time, the game felt like it had been won.
But as the Arsenal players celebrated, Rice urged them to get back to face the re-start. He knew there was still a lot of work to do. Rice was setting the standards for others to follow.
This encounter saw him become the fifth youngest player in Premier League history to reach 300 appearances. He has reached the milestone quicker than Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, two of England's greatest midfielders.
Rice wants to be spoken about in the same breath. And go on to achieve more than those two did. Who would back against him doing so?
Rice is 27 and approaching his peak. He is captain-in-waiting for Arsenal and England. Forget Jude Bellingham. He cannot be trusted. Rice should be handed the Three Lions armband once Harry Kane steps aside.
If there is one criticism to be aimed at Rice, it's that he doesn't score enough goals.
He has just four of them this season, for a team which, before Saturday, had seen Viktor Gyokeres, Gabriel Jesus, Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke and Leandro Trossard fail to score a single league goal between them since the start of 2026.
And that's despite Arteta deploying Rice in a more advanced role most of the time, so there can be no excuses.
It's something Rice has to work on in a bid to improve. And if Rice can somehow increase his output in this department, Arsenal might just have the most complete footballer in the game.
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