Jamie Carragher has come to the defense of Declan Rice, arguing that the Arsenal midfielder’s contributions are being overlooked despite his standout display in a resounding 5-1 victory over Manchester City.
Rice played a pivotal role, delivering two assists and influencing Arsenal’s opening goal in a statement win at the Emirates.
The Gunners struck early but saw their lead erased when Erling Haaland found the net with a powerful header. However, Arsenal quickly reasserted dominance as Thomas Partey’s deflected strike restored their advantage.
Myles Lewis-Skelly extended the lead before Kai Havertz and Ethan Nwaneri sealed the rout, closing the gap to six points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.
Although the scoreline was emphatic, it was Rice’s all-round display that earned him the Man of the Match award. The 26-year-old now has six goal involvements in the league this season, a tally that seems set to fall short of the 15 he registered in his debut Arsenal campaign.
Carragher, however, dismissed the notion that Rice should be judged purely on goals and assists. Speaking on Sky Sports, he expressed frustration over the narrative surrounding the England international.
“I sometimes feel like I’m Declan Rice’s biggest supporter because I don’t understand the criticism he gets for not scoring or assisting more,” Carragher said. “Football has changed in the last 10-15 years, and we analyze stats differently now.
But look at legends like Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit—no one obsessed over their goal contributions. They were complete midfielders, and Rice is the same.”
Comparing Rice to past greats, Carragher continued: “He’s a bit like Roy Keane—a throwback to those all-action midfielders in a 4-4-2.
His passing range is vastly underrated, as we saw with the assist for the fifth goal. His presence, pressing, and ability to dictate play make him an outstanding player.”
Rice himself acknowledged the importance of his attacking contributions. “Getting two assists is huge for me,” he admitted post-match. “If I’m playing as a No.8, I need to add goals and assists to my game. Today was one of the best days I’ve had at Arsenal.”
Mikel Arteta echoed the praise, emphasizing the significance of the result. “We needed this win badly, and the way we achieved it was fantastic,” the Arsenal boss told Sky Sports.
“There were moments we had to suffer, and yes, we had some luck, but the quality of our goals and the team’s competitive level were outstanding.”
With this emphatic win, Arsenal reaffirms its title ambitions, and Rice continues to prove why he’s one of the Premier League’s most complete midfielders—whether the stats show it or not.