Declan Rice missed England's four Nations League games during the international break but returned to play for Arsenal against Leeds United on Saturday
Bruno Guimaraes and Declan Rice
Bruno Guimaraes and Declan Rice (Image: (David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images))
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Bruno Guimaraes' arrival at Arsenal will finally allow Mikel Arteta to rest Declan Rice. That’s the view of Gunners hero Alan Smith after Rice withdrew from the England squad last month due to concerns over load management.
The midfielder played the whole of the Gunners’ 3-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion before the international break, but withdrew from Thomas Tuchel’s squad for his side's four Nations Leagues games. Rice, who played the full 90 minutes as Arsenal beat Leeds United 2-1 on Saturday, has managed several niggling injuries over the past year, including what he described during the World Cup as 'neural pain'.
But Smith believes that the arrival of Guimaraes from Newcastle United in a £75m deal during the summer transfer window should enable Arteta to rest Rice at times this season.
He said: “Listen, we've got all these sports science teams, there's masses of them, and some managers take more notice of the advice given than others.
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“Whether Arteta does, I don't know, but he did play an awful lot, didn't he? In the World Cup and after the World Cup, he's talking about this little problem that he's nursing, Declan Rice.
“With Guimaraes now, there will be opportunities, I think, to leave him out. Whether Arteta does or not, we'll wait and see. But they've certainly got enough backup to give him a rest.”
Smith, who scored 115 goals in 347 appearances for Arsenal, also believes Max Dowman can make an impact off the bench in Premier League games this season.
The 16-year-old was back in the spotlight last month after he marked his first appearance of the campaign with a brace in Arsenal’s 4-2 Carabao Cup win at Ipswich Town.
Gunners boss Arteta is keen to protect the teen sensation, but Smith believes: “Dowman could definitely have an impact in league games.
“He's played on the right when he's come into the first team, and he's played through the middle - probably that's his position.
“Maybe Carabao, he'll start some games, but as for the Premier League, you're looking at substitute appearances, because there are so many senior players ahead of him.”
Smith also believes Arsenal supporters have already started to see why his old club were so desperate to sign Julian Alvarez during the summer.
After a summer-long transfer saga, the Argentine remained at Atletico Madrid after he tried to force a move to Barcelona and rejected the chance to move to the Emirates Stadium.
Julian Alvarez looks
Julian Alvarez(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
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“I think Alvarez is a better all-round footballer than (Viktor) Gyokeres,” Smith, speaking via BestBettingSites, said. “He's obviously different from (Kai) Havertz in his style.
“He's very energetic and makes good runs. He'll free up space for those just behind - (Martin) Odegaard and (Eberechi) Eze if he plays, Guimaraes, whoever.
“So yeah, you could see why they would want to go for somebody like that. But as it is, they've got to make the best of what they've got. And what they have got is not bad at all.”