Declan Rice has been the man for the big occasion this season, and Martin Keown has urged the Arsenal midfielder to empty the tank in the UEFA Champions League final on Saturday night.
16:00, 28 May 2026
Declan Rice and Myles Lewis-Skelly of Arsenal celebrate progressing to the final of the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 after the team's victory in the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Semi Final Second Leg match between Arsenal FC and Atletico de Madrid at Arsenal Stadium on May 05, 2026 in London, England
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Declan Rice and Myles Lewis-Skelly for Arsenal(Image: Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Martin Keown reckons that Declan Rice will need to have the 'game of his life' if Arsenal are to defeat Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final on Saturday night. The 27-year-old midfielder has played a key role for the Gunners en route to the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, winning three player-of-the-match awards.
Rice earned his first individual accolade of the season at the end of November when Arsenal enjoyed a 3-1 win over Bayern Munich in the 'league phase'. Although the England international didn't directly contribute to either of the Gunners' three goals, the UEFA Technical Observer Group described his performance as 'dominant and powerful'.
He was later awarded his second player-of-the-match award of the Champions League campaign in the second leg of the last-16. Rice doubled the Gunners' lead over Bayer Leverkusen on the hour mark, finding the bottom corner from range.
Rice was then recognised for his efforts, again, in the second leg of the semi-final against Atletico Madrid. If the Arsenal midfielder wins the player-of-the-match award in the Champions League final, it'll be his fourth of the season, and he'll become one of just five players to have done so.
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In an interview with football.london ahead of the Champions League final, which will be broadcast exclusively on TNT Sports and discovery+, Keown commented on Rice's role in Mikel Arteta's side. The Gunners legend said: "I think Declan's going to have to have the game of his life.
"I often refer to him as having this double engine. Like two engines. I think he's won quite a few man of the matches this season. He's been really, really dominant. I know it's been a good season for him.
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"Lots of debate about who's the player of the year. I like to see it go to someone who's won something. Quite often over the years, we see that doesn't happen. It leaves a bit of a hollow taste in the mouth.
"He’s still got things to prove, but this could be the night of all nights for him to totally dominate a game of football. He has to have almost the game of his life for Arsenal to win this because PSG are quite a magnificent outfit."
On how Rice will fare against Vitinha, Joao Neves, and Fabian Ruiz in the middle of the park, Keown said: "Vitinha, he's a bit like Bernardo Silva, isn't he. I call him the SOS player. He's [always] available. 'If you're in trouble, just signal and I'll give it to you'.
Declan Rice of Arsenal in the tunnel at half time during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Quarter-Final First Leg match between Sporting Clube de Portugal and Arsenal FC at Estadio Jose Alvalade on April 07, 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal
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Martin Keown has claimed Declan Rice needs to have the game of his life this weekend(Image: Photo by Alex Pantling - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
"That's what Bernardo Silva did for City for so many years. I think he does the same, Vitinha. They've got three really good midfield players who rotate around to be the deep player. Vitinha is the one, mostly, who does that.
"Does Rice jump out of that defence, that deeper role and go and press? Or is it Odegaard? As I say, what is the midfield three? It's very interesting," added the TNT Sports and HBO Max pundit. "Are they going to sit deep?
"I think that gives it away in the formation. In another, I think if you can see Odegaard's playing, right, they're going to go and press, they're going to go right up on top of PSG. Let's see how good they really are passing out from the back."
Arteta has had the last week or so to pick his midfield, and Keown reckons Myles Lewis-Skelly could be key to getting the best out of Rice. The Arsenal legend said: "Does he play a midfield three of [Martin] Zubimendi, Skelly and Rice?
"Or one assumes Odegaard will play and join the press because he's the trigger for the press. So there's still work to be done. I'm not quite certain who the midfielder is going to be.
"I think Lewis Skelly has done incredibly well in those last few games. I particularly like the way he punches balls through midfield. He's frightened of nobody or no reputation.
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"And he's been watching a lot of football. So it's been admirable that he comes in and dominates, and that frees up Declan..."
Martin Keown was speaking ahead of the UEFA Champions League final, when he will be part of the coverage exclusively live on TNT Sports and HBO Max this Saturday, May 31.
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