Mikel Arteta’s decision to leave Declan Rice out of Arsenal’s starting XI against Brentford was a risk. It is one that certainly paid off, though.
Not only did a team also without Kai Havrtz and Bukayo Saka win, but Rice was afforded another much-needed rest. He had played eight games in the previous four weeks for his club heading into the trip to west London. And Arteta only turned to Rice as a late substitute, by which time the three points had all but been wrapped up.
Early second-half goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Mikel Merino swung matters in Arsenal’s favour after Bryan Mbeumo’s opener has been cancelled out by Gabriel Jesus before the interval. The result put Arsenal back into second, leapfrogging Nottingham Forest.
Perhaps more importantly it also extended the gap to Chelsea, who dropped to fourth place after their defeat to Ipswich Town on Monday night made it just one point from three matches over the last week of 2024. Liverpool’s imperious form means that the buffer at the top is still six points and a game in hand.
Arsenal are back to their old ways, though, and have won four on the bounce in all competitions. The wider run of 12 games undefeated since the second week of November – with nine victories in that time – has seen Arteta once more pick up great momentum.
Rice has been central to much of that. Notably, after hardly missing a minute of last season and there being more attention on the spread of game under Arteta this term, he has been rested more often in recent weeks.
In the 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest after the November international break, Arteta left Havertz and Rice out of the starting XI, not turning to either of them throughout the game at all. Three matches later and Rice was taken off with half-an-hour left as Arsenal laboured against Everton. He started the 5-1 win at Crystal Palace on the bench, as well.
Other than keeping things fresh, there has been another big plus from Rice’s slight reduction in game-time. He has now only been booked once in the league since September 28 – a period of 13 games. Compared that to his four in the opening four matches (with a red card for two yellows against Brighton included), it is quite a turnaround.
