Former footballer and pundit Gary Neville claims Arsenal would have won the match against Tottenham Hotspur if Declan Rice played full 90 minutes.
Speaking on his own Podcast, Neville analysed the North-London Derby as the match ended in a 2:2 draw at Emirates. It was a good battle between both the neighbours.
Gunners went into match with few key players sidelined due to injury such as Gabriel Martinelli. Jurrien Timber is also out due to knee injury, while Thomas Partey is missing from the team sheets for weeks.
However, Declan Rice was taken off in the second-half as the manager suspects something. Speaking in the post-match press-conference, Arteta said :-
“He had some discomfort in his back, and he was telling us during the first half that he wasn’t comfortable. When we assessed him at half-time, he couldn’t continue, so we had to change him.”
Meanwhile Neville suggests that Arsenal would have won the match if Rice stayed on the field. He said :-
“It will be interesting in two weeks’ time when they’re [Manchester City] without him [Rodri] if Arsenal are without Declan Rice, as that’s the other big thing that’s happened today to Arsenal.
“The biggest problem for Arsenal today is not dropping two points, it’s if [Bukayo] Saka and Rice have got four, five-week injuries because they are two very important players.
“And Rice is a monster in there, I think they win that game with him out there until the 90th minute.
“I think he’s that type of player that just drives them forward, that those corners at the end he’ll get something.
“He’s that type of player that I just feel has that in him to will a team on, to just get that result.”
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