Carragher picks Arsenal star who’s saved Gunners’ season – ‘A huge influence’
Jamie Carragher has hailed the “huge influence” of Declan Rice and a “tactical shift” from Mikel Arteta that’s turned things around for Arsenal.
Bukayo Saka’s goal at the Emirates on Tuesday secured a 2-1 aggregate win over Atletico Madrid in their Champions League semi-final while the Gunners sit five points ahead of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League with three games to play.
Rice is currently third favourite to win the Ballon d’Or after outstanding and incredibly consistent displays for Arsenal this term.
The Gunners’ form had dipped before a recent upturn saw them cruise to a 3-0 victory over Fulham in the Premier League ahead of them sealing aggregate victory over Atletico.
Martin Zubimendi – one of the key figures in Arsenal’s fast start to the season – was dropped for both games in favour of academy graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly, in a move which saw Rice dropped deeper in a “tactical shift” which Carragher insists has played a huge part in putting them within two games of an historic double.
“I thought Declan Rice was fantastic and the best player in both legs,” Carragher said on CBS Sports after Arsenal knocked out Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid.
“Even though Arsenal find themselves where they are in the Champions League and the Premier League because of what they’ve done over nine or ten months, they were definitely wobbling.
“In the last week they’ve sorted themselves out and I think the decision to move Declan Rice a little bit deeper has had a huge influence.
“I thought he was really good out in Madrid and got the Man of the Match award in the second leg as well. In-between that Arsenal beat Fulham and it was the first time we’ve really seen them look at ease and play free.
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“It had probably been a few months since we’ve seen that, maybe since they beat Tottenham 4-1 in the north London derby.”
Two games from the double
Carragher added: “I think that little tactical shift with Declan Rice has had a huge impact and they are now two games away from winning the Premier League and Champions League double.
“They have the Champions League final, obviously, but if they beat West Ham at the weekend they will win the Premier League, it would be all over.
“So that’s how close they are but you’ve still got to get across the line and get there – but it does look a different team than we saw even just a couple of weeks ago.”
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