Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has backed midfielder Declan Rice to score more goals after Tuesday’s dramatic 4-3 win away at Luton Town.
The Gunners had to battle through a tricky trip to Kenilworth Road on Tuesday night, twice squandering the lead before going 3-2 down.
Kai Havertz levelled it up before Declan Rice popped up with a dramatic late header, handing Arsenal all three points in a 4-3 win.
Mikel Arteta hails Declan Rice after Arsenal win
Rice showed great movement to get away from his marker and head home Martin Odegaard’s cross.
That is Rice’s third goal for Arsenal and all three have been hugely important.
His first put Arsenal ahead against Manchester United in a 3-1 win and his second sparked a comeback in the 2-2 draw at Chelsea.
This one was even bigger, handing Arsenal all three points when it looked like Mikel Arteta’s men had slipped up.
Rice is now just one away from matching his Premier League goal tally of four from last season, something Arteta appears to know all about.
Arteta has told Arsenal’s official website that Rice scoring one more to match last season’s tally and is confident that ‘it’ll happen’.
Arteta hailed Rice for an ‘incredible’ performance against Luton, believing that he showed great leadership.
The Spaniard believes Rice is just getting better and better, and has the ability to keep scoring goals if he gets into the box.
“Yeah, [he’s scored] three. He has one more to go, so it will happen, I don’t know when but it’ll happen. He had an incredible game again; the leadership, the quality that he’s showing every week and every game, he’s getting better and better and then he has this capacity when he goes in the opponent’s box, he’s got that smell and ability to put the ball in the back of the net.
Arsenal broke their transfer record to sign Rice from West Ham United over the summer, striking a deal worth around £105million.
That was a staggering outlay but nobody really seems to be talking about that now because Rice has been so good.
On the ball, off the ball, on the pitch, off the pitch – everything about Rice has been absolutely perfect for Arsenal.
£105million almost looks cheap now, and it certainly will if Rice keeps scoring big goals for Arsenal this season.
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