Overview
- Arsenal beat Everton 1-0 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium through a Viktor Gyokeres penalty awarded for Jake O’Brien’s first-half handball, moving the Gunners back to the top of the Premier League.
- Mikel Arteta lauded Declan Rice’s all‑round play and leadership, highlighting his ball recoveries and consistency as central to Arsenal’s control of the match.
- Everton boss David Moyes said Rice was “probably the best midfielder in the world” and credited the player’s own development, noting Arteta’s role in elevating him further.
- Wayne Rooney called Rice “absolutely incredible” against Everton and described him as a future England captain, citing his 72 caps and previous occasions wearing the armband.
- Performance metrics cited by outlets showed Rice had 116 touches, completed 87 of 97 passes (90% accuracy), and made double‑digit defensive contributions including tackles, clearances and recoveries.