Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit has called upon Declan Rice to drop his 'nice guy' persona and show his teeth with his team-mates when called upon as the Gunners attempt to wrest back control of their Premier League fortunes. 'Declan Rice is such a decent guy, such a sweet guy on and off the pitch. Petit won the Premier League with Arsenal in 1997-98 alongside a cast of characters both in his team and featuring for his rivals who were legendarily formidable. Outside of the Premier League, Arsenal have continued in flying form, most recently beating Inter Milan 3-1 in the Champions League, and edging Chelsea 3-2 in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final. After their final league phase match in Europe, Arsenal will look to get back to winning ways against promoted side Leeds United on Saturday.

Source: Daily Mail January 26, 2026 16:17 UTC