Pep Guardiola acknowledges that Arsenal struck gold by acquiring Declan Rice from West Ham during the summer transfer window.
The Gunners shattered their transfer record, paying £105 million for the England international.
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Despite competition from Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Manchester United, Rice has justified his hefty price tag with stellar performances in Arsenal’s midfield.
His contributions have been instrumental in the club’s pursuit of their first Premier League title in two decades.
Facing formidable opponents like Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, and Bernardo Silva, Rice will encounter his toughest challenge yet when Arsenal visits the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Guardiola, who admired Rice himself, believes the midfielder could excel in any English top-flight team.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s meeting, Gaurdiola was asked about City’s failure to sign Rice and he said: ‘I think all the teams in the Premier League would have [wanted to] sign Declan Rice.’
Rice, however, is fully aware of the challenge ahead. Arsenal’s painful memory of last season’s 4-1 defeat in the same fixture looms large, serving as a stark reminder of their title hopes slipping away.
‘We have got to go to the Etihad, which is going to be really tough, but if you want to get past that barrier of Arsenal being labelled stuff, you have to go there and win,’ said Rice.
‘We have to show that steeliness and character to prove we can be one of the best teams. There’s no doubt that City are the best team in the world at the minute, but we have full confidence and belief as a group, and the manager, that we can get a result.’
He added: ‘I have obviously been in big-pressure situations this season in games where, if we hadn’t won we would be slipping away from the teams at the top,” said the midfielder.
‘You feel that pressure before the games, you know in your mind that you have to go out there and do everything you can to win and get three points.
‘I really thrive off those moments, so hopefully we can keep putting ourselves in big-pressure games. That is where you learn the most about yourself, and obviously as a team as well.’
