75 passes, 7 duels won, 5 recoveries: 104-touch Arsenal star had his best performance this season, not Gabriel - opinion

Arsenal picked up a 2-1 victory over Newcastle United in the Premier League on Sunday.

The Gunners capitalised on Liverpool’s surprise defeat at Crystal Palace with a statement win over the Magpies at St James’ Park.

As a result, they are only two points adrift of the Reds in the league standings.

They have a chance to go top of the table with a win against West Ham on Saturday if Liverpool drop points against Chelsea away.

Gabriel Magalhaes made the headlines yesterday with his 96th-minute stoppage-time winner, but Declan Rice was equally impressive.

The England international has had a mixed start to the campaign, but he produced his best performance against Newcastle on Tyneside.

Rice should have had an assist during the opening half. He put Leandro Trossard on goal, only for him to hit the woodwork from close range.

The midfielder also worked hard defensively. He made a stupendous recovery to deny Jacob Murphy, who was almost one-on-one with David Raya.

The Magpies could have had a 2-0 lead if not for Rice’s intervention.

The 26-year-old added gloss to his fantastic display with a quality cross into the box, which paved the way for Mikel Merino’s equaliser in the 84th minute.

Overall, Rice had 104 touches with 75 completed passes. The Englishman won seven duels alongside five recoveries, three tackles and three clearances.

Rice came up with a strong midfield showing against Eddie Howe’s side.

Arsenal will now turn their attention to Champions League football. The Gunners host Greek outfit Olympiacos at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday evening.

They will then host West Ham in the Premier League before the international break. Arsenal play first this weekend before Liverpool visit Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea.

Mikel Arteta’s side have the opportunity to temporarily move to the top of the standings by beating the Hammers.

In that way, the Reds will face a stern challenge at Stamford Bridge, where they have not won in five years.

Stats from Fotmob.com

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