‘I hate that he plays for Arsenal’ – Tottenham star Maddison makes confession over Gunners hero

Tottenham midfielder James Maddison has admitted that he “hates” that England team-mate Declan Rice plays for arch-rivals Arsenal.

Rice signed for the Gunners in the summer transfer window in a deal which could rise to £105m and the England international has already been a huge hit.

The 24-year-old has become an Arsenal fan favourite inside a few months by helping the Gunners control midfield, while he has also chipped in with three Premier League goals and one assist.

Rice grabbed a late winner for Arsenal against Luton Town on Tuesday night when the midfielder headed home a Martin Odegaard cross to put the Gunners temporarily five points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

And Maddison, who was also on the move in the summer, has worked with Rice closely at international level and is frustrated that the talented midfielder plays for Arsenal.

“Yeah, (he’s got everything),” Maddison told Amazon Prime. “He’s technically really, really good.

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“We do passing for England in training. He is a joke when it comes to low-cut passes, zingers. I think he’s a top, top player.

“I hate that he plays for Arsenal.”

Arsenal match-winner Rice described it as a big moment in the Gunners’ season as his last-gasp header earned them all three points at Luton.

Rice told Sky Sports: “Luton are a top side, they can no way be overlooked in this league because of the quality they’ve got. They made us pay tonight [Tuesday] with set-pieces, us being sloppy at the back but for us to score last minute and keep that momentum building is massive for us in this season.

“You have to take it every day as it comes. I wasn’t here last year when they were eight points clear, we have worked a lot as a group with me coming in here now and understanding the team. We have to worry about us, not anyone else and just keep doing what the manager wants, ticking the game off and getting the three points.

“We were knocking on the door and when the ball got to Martin (Odegaard) and I shifted away from my man and went off his back shoulder and I attacked it. Anything can happen, it went in the bottom corner and in those moments, they’re the ones you look back on. I’m taking it all in because what a game and the winner.”