**Declan Rice is set to captain Arsenal for the first time in their final game of the Premier League season away to Southampton.**
The midfielder has been handed the armband by Mikel Arteta and will lead his side out at St Mary's, with skipper Martin Odegaard starting the match from the bench. Bukayo Saka and Jorginho have been stand-ins for the Norway international this season, but have also been omitted from the starting XI.
The Gunners' star midfielder will look to capitalise on the chance to lead the team as they look to end a relatively disappointing campaign with a victory on the south coast.
Rice has never led Arsenal out before | Shaun Botterill/GettyImages
Rice's first game as Arsenal skipper comes at the end of a season in which current captain Martin Odegaard has [come under plenty of criticism and scrutiny](https://paininthearsenal.com/should-martin-odegaard-replaced-arsenal-captain) for a lack of leadership mentality on the pitch.
The England international has been acknowledged by a number of fans as a potential replacement for his Norwegian teammate, and the decision to hand him the armband today may increase those odds.
He has plenty of experience as a Premier League captain, having led West Ham in his final season at the club, replacing Mark Noble and eventually guiding them to victory in the UEFA Europa Conference League.
Mikel Arteta will be aware of Rice's leadership qualities and there is no doubt he would have taken that into consideration when naming him as captain for today's visit to Southampton. If anyone at Arsenal, aside from Odegaard, has the minerals to lead the team, it is Rice.
However, it isn't worth reading into this. Rice has had an outstanding season and with Arteta heavily rotating the team due to Champions League qualification already being wrapped up, he may just be offered a reward for his impressive and consistent form.
Rice won't replace Odegaard as Arsenal captain, but with him donning the armband for the first time today, there is a possibility he could become a key member of the club's leadership group heading into next season.
### READ THE LATEST ARSENAL NEWS HERE!