Despite Arsenal thrashing Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon to revitalise their dwindling title hopes, Wayne Rooney has opted to send a stern warning to one of Mikel Arteta’s players.
The Gunners strolled to victory over a depleted Spurs side in crisis, courtesy of braces from Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze. The two summer signings were at the heart of the win for Arteta’s side, leading the Spaniard’s team to an imperative three points.
Unsurprisingly, the Arsenal players and fans were jubilant at the full-time whistle, engaging in animated celebrations in the away end. For Rooney, however, some of this animated behaviour could become an issue for the North London outfit, or at least one player in particular.
Wayne Rooney sends warning to Arsenal star after 4-1 win
Arsenal have been criticised for ‘over-celebrating’ in the past, with many prominent pundits claiming that this excessively emotional behaviour has led to their failure to get over the line regarding silverware.
The Gunners have also been culpable of making uncharacteristic defensive mistakes in recent matches – a sign that the pressure may be getting to them and that they’re lacking composure. Declan Rice was the main culprit of this at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, gifting Randal Kolo Muani a goal in the first half by trying an ambitious piece of skill on the edge of his own box.
Rooney, who won five Premier League titles with Manchester United, believes that Rice has been too riled up and overly animated in recent weeks, and that the mistake in the North London Derby was the culmination of this.
Speaking to BBC Sport, the United legend warned the Arsenal midfielder that this burning desire to win could actually cost Arteta’s team.
“I think with Declan, watching him over the last four weeks, you can see he’s getting animated, and he wants to win that much that sometimes it’s not helping him,” Rooney said.
“So I think just to take a deep breath sometimes, I’ve been in the same position, but sometimes just taking a deep breath and composing yourself will probably help him in this run-in.”
Declan Rice was largely excellent for Arsenal against Tottenham
While Rice’s error was certainly an example of the player taking on too much responsibility, it didn’t impact the rest of his game.
The midfielder was slick in possession, dictating Arsenal’s build-up throughout, while he fulfilled his defensive duties diligently. Finishing the game with an astounding 15 defensive contributions and nine passes into the final third, this was an excellent all-round performance from the 27-year-old.
| Declan Rice’s Statistics vs Tottenham | |
| Minutes Played | 90 |
| Touches | 81 |
| Defensive Contributions | 15 |
| Passes into the Final Third | 9 |
| Recoveries | 10 |
| Accurate Passes | 45/59 (76%) |
| Ground Duels Won | 6/9 (67%) |
| Tackles | 3 |
That said, Rooney certainly had a point. Rice’s mistake was a symptom of the player being excessively driven to win this specific game and the title, and he has looked slightly overzealous in recent weeks. Perhaps the serenity of the second half will aid him in becoming more relaxed moving forward.
