Arsenal

Arsenal

Premier League • England

Declan Rice trolls Tottenham with humiliating claim as Arsenal star names his big disappointment

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice with the words 'Spurs slaughtered'

Declan Rice enjoyed Arsenal's win over Tottenham

Arsenal star Declan Rice has mocked Tottenham by claiming the Gunners “could have scored 10” in their win at Emirates Stadium and having named his one big regret – while the midfielder has dropped something of a transfer hint at possible incomings after their derby-day success.

North London is red once again after a Dominik Solanke own goal and a drive from Leandro Trossard helped overturn Son Heung-min’s early opener for the visitors in another tense derby meeting. While both sides went into the game with a whole manner of injury issues to contend with, it was Arsenal who deservedly claimed the spoils to close the gap at the top to four points from leaders Liverpool.

After the game, Rice could not hide his delight though felt his side had the chances to make the margin of victory much more comfortable.

“You could tell that it [winning the game] meant more than anything,” Rice told TNT Sports after the game. “From the first minute, it was pure domination. We showed that desire, intent and pressure… you could tell it was a derby.”

Revealing the club’s only victory, he added: “To be honest with you, we were unlucky, we probably should have scored 10 tonight. That was the feeling [in the dressing room].”

Rice, though, knows what the win means to the fans, adding: “When you play Spurs, you know what it means to the fans.

“If you’re a player and you can’t get up for Spurs, you shouldn’t be playing football. You need to have that fire in your belly and we had that tonight.

“Second half, the game got stretched and they could’ve maybe scored a couple, but we could’ve had another five or six and that’s the disappointing thing.

“But the win’s the most important and hopefully we can go on a run because this is the most important part of the season.”

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Arteta hails outstanding Arsenal as Rice drops transfer hint

Arteta felt his players fully deserved their win and praised them for what he felt was an exceptional performance.

However, he has urged his players to show a more clinical side in front of goal if they are to make serious inroads of Liverpool’s lead at the top.

“Outstanding today. From the first minute, we were really at it, really intense. We played with a real purpose to hurt them. We created an unbelievable atmosphere,” the Arsenal boss said.

“We know how important the game is. It’s a gift we can make the supporters very happy. The attitude we played with, not feeling sorry for ourselves, was phenomenal. We played 120 minutes three days ago.”

One man who did catch the eye, operating at left-back, was youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly and Arteta had words of praise for the 18-year-old after the game.

“I think it makes everybody at the club very proud because he’s been in our system for a long time and we know the kind of education that the academy is giving to our boys to get prepared,” Arteta told Football.London.

“We have to pick them at the moment that we believe they are ready, and with him, it was very, very early and in a different position because he’s never played as a full-back before, but he responds in the manner that he’s on, which is a enjoy to watch.”

Rice also feels injuries have hit Arsenal hard and had words of comfort for Gabriel Jesus, but did predict the Gunners will enter the transfer market.

“Look, now obviously I think where we’ve lost Gabby, he’s probably going to be out for a year with an ACL.

“That’s really tough.,” he said. “I’m sure that the manager’s probably going to look for something because tonight we’ve had to bring Tierney on left-wing, we’ve had to bring Zinny on left-wing; we’re a bit short up that so I’m not surprised if we are going to probably do something.”

Latest Arsenal transfer news: Benzema claims; Vlahovic the top target

The Gunners’ focus over the rest of the window will undoubtedly be on strengthening their attack; something Arteta was keen to do anyway only for the injury to Jesus to exacerbate those needs.

Per our reporter Rudy Galetti, Arsenal’s No. 1 focus this month will be Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic, though they have seen an opening offer for the Serbianb turned down.

But the terms the Bianconerri will demand amid claims about his relationship with coach Thiago Motta has come to light.

On the subject of new strikers, though, Rio Ferdinand has urged the Gunners to go all out and bring in Karim Benzema on a six-month loan deal with the iconic former England defender explaining why he thinks the massive coup is possible.

Meanwhile, one deal Arsenal had reportedly already wrapped up – the summer signing for Martin Zubimendi – may not be as far along as previously claimed. That’s after Florian Plettenberg revealed the deal was not yet done and that four clubs were still of the mind to make a transfer hijack.

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