Former Premier League defender Micah Richards has said that an Arsenal player has become one of the best in the world under Mikel Arteta.
The Gunners are in an excellent position at the moment. They beat Burnley 2-0 over the weekend thanks to goals from Viktor Gyokeres and Declan Rice at Turf Moor. It leaves Arsenal top of the Premier League table, and with a six point lead over Manchester City.
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Mikel Arteta will be full of confidence that his side can continue their excellent form, and the Arsenal manager will be looking ahead to their next two games, against Slavia Prague in the Champions League, before a trip to Sunderland in the Premier League.
Looking ahead to those games, there are several Arsenal players you could single out for being difference makers, but Rice has to be considered as so important. The midfielder scored his second goal of the season against Burnley, and also put the ball in leading to Gyokeres’ goal. He has become a real talisman for the Gunners.
Richards says Rice is one of the world’s best
After yet another excellent performance from Rice, he quickly received a lot of praise, namely from Micah Richards whilst he was speaking on The Rest is Football Podcast. Richards said that the England international has become one of the best players in the world under the guidance of Arteta.
He said: “‘I don’t like singling players out because it’s a team effort – and I have to give Mikel Arteta credit for building that – but I have to identify Declan Rice.
“He’s taken his game to the next level now where you’re taking about one of the best in world football. We saw at West Ham a very good player and I remember some pundits criticised him a little bit in terms of what he is and what’s his best position but he’s everything in that midfield.
“He can do everything and he’s consistently putting in these performances which mean we have to start talking about him as one of the best players I world football. It is so good to see and if Arsenal do win the Premier League this season it will be because players like him. I said at the start that it’s a team game but he’s just exceeding all expectations.”
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