06 December 2023 , 09:19
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Declan Rice was told by Graeme Souness that he didn't score enough goals after joining Arsenal and quickly saw to that issue, leaving the Scotsman with egg on his face.
Following his £105million move to the Emirates from West Ham in the summer, Rice now has three Premier League goals to his name before Christmas, two of which have come in the form of last-gasp winners. Considering the deeper positions the England international takes up, three at this stage of the season is a more than respectable tally.
His most recent goal came away at Luton Town on Tuesday night, with Rice heading home in the 97th minute to hand the Gunners a 4-3 victory to put them five points clear at the top of the table. Goals rarely come more important than that and the ex-Hammer is consistently proving he can be relied upon as a man for the big occasions for Arsenal.
Rice had long been viewed as one of the most exciting midfielders in the country, tipped for greatness before he'd ever joined a 'big six' side. However, his game was not without flaws according to some. Souness often discussed how he felt the 24-year-old didn't get enough goals.
In February, Souness wrote in the Daily Mail: "This midfield role is a vital part of any team because in an ideal world, it’s multi-dimensional – you are creative, you chip in with goals and you’ve got a defensive head at all times, if you’ve got all three of those attributes, you’re worth your weight in gold. For me, Rice has just one of them."
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It was clear the 'one' trait Rice had in the eyes of Souness was his defensive prowess, but lacked the ability to contribute in an attacking sense. After the now Arsenal ace admitted he felt the assessment was "harsh", Souness doubled down.
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Declan Rice netted a 97th minute winner for Arsenal against Luton (Getty Images)"I think he should get more goals," the Liverpool legend added. "He averages two goals a season and two assists a season, that's not enough. He's joined a very good team, a great football club, I would expect, if I was managing him, for him to chip in with more goals and be more creative."
We are not yet halfway through the season and Rice has already bettered two goals a season. Rarely have Arsenal enjoyed a signing so transformative as Rice, who could barely contain his delight when discussing the goal come full-time.
"It means everything, to get the three points, to keep that momentum building is massive, " he explained. "From a personal point of view, to score that goal, to clutch that moment, to fight and compete for the ball like I did knowing it was the last kick of the game - I haven't seen it back yet but I'm going to be watching it all night."