Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes has now opened up about the impact that one player has had at the club this season.
Arsenal have been defensively excellent this season.
The Gunners boast the best defensive record in the Premier League. No other side in the top flight of English football has conceded fewer than the 26 goals that the North London club have conceded.
The Arsenal defence has been in a class of its own this season, and there have been multiple factors behind this solidity. Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba have been vital in the heart of the rearguard, David Raya has provided an assured presence between the sticks, whilst Ben White offers great consistency at right-back.
Whilst Gabriel and Saliba have been labelled the best centre-back pairing in the Premier League, the Brazilian star has now credited the protection they are afforded by the midfield unit ahead of them.
Gabriel Magalhaes hails Declan Rice impact at Arsenal
Declan Rice has added steel to the spine of this Arsenal team. Since his club-record £105 million arrival from West Ham United in the recent summer transfer window, the 25-year-old has been a rock in the middle of the park for Mikel Arteta’s side.
For all of the deserved praise that the Gunners’ back line has received, Rice has been equally instrumental in the team’s defensive success. The England star possesses remarkable physical attributes, he is able to cover vast swathes of the pitch, with the energy reserves needed to snuff out emerging opposition attacks from the first minute to the last. Rice was recently hailed as a “colossus” due to his enormous contribution to the Arsenal cause.
Gabriel has now had his say on the midfielder’s importance. Speaking to TNT Sports, the centre-back said, “he’s a leader. He’s an extraordinary player. I really love playing with him, because he has something different. Since arriving he’s helped us a lot.”
Declan Rice must lead Arsenal through title race run-in
It is now vital that Arsenal are able to maintain their excellent form at the back for the final few matches of the season. All of these remaining fixtures are must-win games for the Gunners. If Arteta’s side are to stand any chance of being crowned champions, they must surely amass maximum points from their final five outings.
To achieve this, the players will need to dig deep, show character, composure, and the leaders within the squad will need to step up, including Rice. He was a captain in his time at West Ham and has shown already this season that he is willing to shoulder responsibilities and set a positive example.
For instance, Rice recently promised Arsenal fans that the team would bounce back from recent defeats with a positive result against Wolves. He then produced a dominant midfield display as the Gunners secured a vital win at Molineux Stadium.
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