Declan Rice says Arsenal’s mentality has shifted after missing out to Manchester City in last season’s Premier League title race, with the squad now stronger mentally having learned from their mistakes.
The Gunners led the 2022/23 Premier League table for 248 days but a late-season collapse saw Man City pip them to first place. This set a new record for most time spent top without winning the title.
Arsenal turned to the transfer market for reinforcements and signed West Ham United captain Rice for a then-British record £105m fee. Since swapping east London for north, he has cemented his place as one of the country’s finest midfielders.
Speaking at the London Football Awards on Thursday, Rice revealed how he thinks the Arsenal squad has changed since his arrival.
“I think last year, Arsenal were the best team in the league,” he said. “They slipped up at the end and obviously, City always come on so strong. I think the word that they said now is that they can’t believe they lost the league obviously eight points ahead.
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“This year, I feel everyone including the manager and the staff, everyone’s learned from their mistakes. Everyone’s stronger, they have more belief. If we go a goal down, there’s still that confidence and mental strength in us that we can push on and win games.
“Like I said, the league is so strong this year and anything can happen and there are 12 games to go. The main thing is, we’re right in it. Because at Christmas we had a little wobble, we lost two games on the bounce which wasn’t good.”
Arsenal currently sit third in the Premier League table on 58 points, with only City (59) and Liverpool (60) ahead of them. Mikel Arteta’s side return to action on Monday with a trip to struggling Sheffield United.
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