Declan Rice led by example at Elland Road as Arsenal secured an emphatic win against Leeds United despite losing Bukayo Saka in the lead-up.
Arsenal’s Declan Rice watches the match against Leeds United (Image: 2026 Getty Images)
Arsenal may have lost their captain before kick-off. But Mikel Arteta picked up another victory with a big win at Elland Road.
Arteta handed Gabriel the armband after seeing Bukayo Saka suffer a hip problem during the warm-up. But it might have been better to give it to Declan Rice instead. Because if leaders are measured by actions and deeds, Rice is the best leader at Arsenal.
It remains to be seen whether Arsenal can become English champions this season. But if that happens, there will be no one more deserving of a medal than Rice.
Arteta opted to take Martin Odegaard off for this trip to Leeds. This placed even greater responsibility on Rice, who was at the heart of Arsenal’s midfield.
Rice was tasked with protecting the back four. He took a corner kick and a long throw-in. He lined up his teammates around the pitch. He won tackles, distributed the ball simply and accurately, led from the front as well as from the back. But what was most impressive about Rice was that he brought calm to all the chaos around him.
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The lack of a win in three games has increased the pressure on Arteta and his players.
Awaiting them was a crowd screaming for blood, cheering on a team that had lost only one of its last 11 games and hadn’t lost at home since November. Elland Road is not for the faint of heart. Considering the fact that Arsenal had not lost to Leeds since 2003, all eyes were on the visitors.
But Rice rose to the challenge just as he rose through the ranks of the best midfielders in the game.
He gave his teammates a fist bump before kickoff. He understood the importance of this match and the result.
Chants of “you’re a piece of shit” echoed in Rice’s ears, along with vile incantations reminiscent of Jimmy Savile, but he was unfazed.
“Mentally he is a player who can deal with everything,” Arteta said. And nowhere is mental toughness more required than at the heated Elland Road.
Declan Rice jumps higher than Leeds defender Joe Rodon (Image: AFP or licensor)
This match promised to shape Arsenal’s season. This is a match in which Arsenal will aim to win the championship for the first time in 22 years. When Arsenal led 2-0 before half-time, it felt like the game had been won.
But as Arsenal players celebrated, Rice urged them to bounce back for the restart. He knew there was still much work to be done. Rice was setting a standard for others to follow.
This encounter made him the fifth youngest player in Premier League history to reach 300 appearances. He reached that milestone earlier than Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, two of England’s greatest midfielders.
I hope Rice is talked about in the same tone. And may you continue to accomplish more than these two have accomplished. Who would object to him doing that?
Rice is 27 years old and nearing his peak. He is captain of Arsenal and England. Forget Jude Bellingham. he can’t be trusted. Rice should be handed the Three Lions armband once Harry Kane leaves.
If there’s one criticism leveled at Rice, it’s that he doesn’t score enough goals.
He has signed just four players this season, but up until Saturday, the team had Víctor Goqueres, Gabriel Jesus, Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke and Leandro Trossard without scoring a single league goal since the start of 2026.
And that’s largely inexcusable, even though Arteta has placed Rice in a more advanced role.
This is something Rice needs to work on to improve. And if Rice can somehow improve in this department, Arsenal could be signing the most complete footballer in the game.
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