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Man Utd once took PL “superstar” on trial, now he’s been touted at £50m & bullied Shaw

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Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe are just two of the well-known players who could have ended up at Old Trafford for almost nothing. In recent years, Manchester United has come to be associated with missing out on star players on the cheap.

Pedro Neto, a player who has already made an impression against Erik ten Hag’s team this season, is one example of how the Red Devils’ frustration at not being able to jump on young talent has come back to haunt them on several occasions.

Why did Man United pass on signing Pedro Neto?

With United having foolishly passed up the opportunity to sign him back in 2016, the now-Wolverhampton Wanderers star—who has spent the last four years playing English football—might have joined the Premier League much sooner. The teenager had been placed on trial during Jose Mourinho’s tenure as manager.

But as it turned out, the young Portuguese wonder apparently did not do enough to satisfy the Manchester powers that be, as he soon returned to Braga of the Primeira Liga, thus blowing the chance to potentially make the dream transfer to the Theatre of Dreams.

After a strong start to life in his own country, Mourinho and company quickly realised their error, as reports surfaced in the summer of 2017 that the club was interested in making a bid for the rising prodigy.


Kilman, Max, and Pedro Neto
The contest was eventually won by Serie A team Lazio. During that transfer window, Neto moved to Italy on a two-year loan before joining Wolves with Bruno Jordao for a reported total of just £18 million.

The amount was quickly dwarfed by rumours that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer of United was among the teams interested in signing the £50 million-rated winger in 2021. The 5 foot 8 speedster was also rumoured to be a potential £50 million transfer to Arsenal last year.

The 23-year-old’s worth was reduced to £9 million by CIES Football Observatory due to his injury-plagued past few years. However, based on his performance thus far this season, the four-cap international appears to be returning to his peak.

What is Pedro Neto’s season-long performance?

As praised by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher, the fleet-footed “superstar” has been a real bright spot on the wings for the Old Gold, who are currently in 16th place after taking just four points from their first six league games. This season, he has already scored once and assisted four times.

After wearing down the Reds in the first half, Neto—who has the second-most chances created in the division—put up a “majestic showing” in the match against Liverpool earlier this month, according to James Cormack of 90min.

This horrifying quality was also on display over the weekend as the £50k-per-week player scored an incredible solo goal against recently promoted Luton Town, nearly single-handedly giving the ten-man visitors a point at Kenilworth Road.

Jamie Spencer of 90min reported that Neto’s pace had left opponent full-back Luke Shaw with “his work cut out.” The potential wideman had also looked extremely impressive against the Red Devils on the opening weekend.

“Some of Wolves’s best chances came down [Shaw’s] left side,” according to GOAL’s Richard Martin, “but the latter man was a constant thorn in the side of the Englishman as he attempted 15 crosses down the right flank on the day, registered four key passes and completed four of his six dribble attempts.”

It appears to be another instance of “one that got away” for those at Old Trafford. With Ten Hag now lacking players like Anthony and Sancho, having a figure like Neto on the right wing would have been a wonderful match due to his creative quality and persistent, direct character.

Gary Neville shocks Arsenal fans with his “ambitious prediction” of title race

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Things don’t always go as planned, and Sunday’s 2-2 draw in the North London Derby was one of those days for us Gooners. To make matters worse, our main rivals for the title, Manchester City (2-0 over Nottingham Forest) and Liverpool (3-0 over West Ham), both triumphed in their matchday six matches and created a space between themselves and us.

Although losing to Spurs by two points could be seen as a blow to our chances of winning the championship, Gary Neville is certain that we will win the 2023–24 league.

The former Manchester United defender suggests that we are in a strong defensive position and should be competitive in the title battle because we are not giving up more goals than we did the previous season and have allowed fewer shots on goal against us.

“Last season, I think they [Arsenal] proved everybody wrong by how close they got, and they were pushing City all the way until the very end,” Neville remarked on Sky Sports following the 2-2 tie in the North London derby.

It’s a bold forecast, but I believe Arsenal will win the title this season. I sense that something is going on here. They’ve only allowed 10 shots on goal against them this season, and they’ve stopped giving up goals.

It is imperative that we secure the Premier League title this season, and Neville’s claims suggest that our defence is the key to success. His remarks align with the well-known statement of Alex Ferguson, “Defence wins titles; attack wins games.”

This season, hopefully, William Saliba, Gabriel, White, and Zinchenko won’t sustain any injuries, and Arteta made the right choice in starting David Raya over Aaron Ramsdale in goal.


To be honest, dear Arsenal fans, we didn’t deserve to win this match. The management made some rather serious errors, I must say. Eddie was shocked beyond belief. Although Trossard was unlucky for us, we failed to see Jesus in the midst.
On Jorginho, there’s no need for commentary. He gives them the objective and all of the time and space. He shouldn’t even be on the pitch, but come on, did we play well the entire time? We scored both a penalty and a deflection.

I have to admit that at 1:0, Jesus had an opportunity, and the game might have turned out differently. It’s been difficult for us to score goals in the league. United was our only victory by more than one goal, and VAR kept us from losing that game despite our lacklustre performance.

A striker with finishing ability is desperately needed, in my opinion. Trousseau was missed. With Partey absent due to injury, Rice’s performance didn’t help, but I won’t use it as an excuse because it’s stunning that Tottenham dominated at home.

When I looked at the bench, I saw that no one was actually seated there. Havertz entered the game, missed a shot badly, made a few poor passes, and summed up our performance. I’m making an effort to consider everything with him, but I was annoyed when he abruptly collapsed during a run. Chances might be missed, but it is illegal to not try. It’s not like Vieira was all that terrific either.

I warned you that subpar work will eventually catch up with the outcomes because I’m concerned. What do we do at the end of the half after Raya made a spectacular save that prevented their equaliser? Saka’s aim was too easy, and they didn’t put in enough effort to achieve it.

The subs were awful. We also don’t trust the bench, so we let Saka play for fifteen to twenty minutes when he was injured. I never thought we had the cutting edge to win the game by producing something, even though Smith-Rowe entered the game late and Reiss played poorly when he did. We were awful, at home, like Burnley under Sean Dyche, hoping on corners.

We’re squandering a great deal of opportunities, producing nothing, and committing numerous individual errors. Not positive indicators are there. We drew with Tottenham, which is a consolation. Rather of getting closer to City, it appears like we have reversed course. And without Partey and Rice, we may very well be playing them. I wish you luck on it.

Negativity is not any more dangerous than false enthusiasm. To be honest, Spurs could have won the game if their manager had shown a bit more bravery. They were mentally stronger. You have to be an absolute monster to defeat City. Liverpool wasn’t good the previous season, but they really came to play when they smelled blood. The score was 7 to 0. How recently have we humiliated a Premier League team? Even when we were ahead 2-0 at Anfield last year, they saw our weakness and got back up, while we gave up.

You have to be a monster to compete with Man City. There was a truly concerning vulnerability in our thinking today. I hope I’m mistaken, but our title challenge may be finished in October when City visits the Emirates.

‘That’s where’: Ange Postecoglou admits Arsenal have two ‘outstanding’ players after NLD yesterday

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Following yesterday’s derby, Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka were hailed as two “outstanding” performers by Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou.

On Sunday afternoon, Tottenham fought for a well-earned point, coming back from behind twice to settle for a 2-2 draw.


Since Leandro Trossard was injured and could not play in the derby, Mikel Arteta was obliged to select a makeshift front three. In fact, the manager of the Gunners chose to play Eddie Nketiah through the middle and Jesus off the left side.

Operating in his typical position over to the right, Bukayo Saka delivered yet another outstanding performance.

After his effort in the first half resulted in an own goal by Cristian Romero, the 22-year-old scored from the penalty spot in the second half.

Jesus had a bit difficulty off to the left and lost a great opportunity to put Arsenal ahead 2-0 in the first half.

However, following yesterday’s derby, Ange Postecoglou praised both Saka and Jesus.


Regarding Saka and Jesus, Postecoglou

During an interview with Football.London, Postecoglou acknowledged that Arsenal is a serious threat in extended areas.

The Spurs manager remarked, “I thought both of our full-backs had difficult jobs today.” “The wide players for Arsenal are excellent players, and that’s where their threats lie.

“I thought Destiny was the dominant player on that side of the pitch in the end, but it could have been difficult because of his early booking.”


Although Jesus has shown to be an excellent addition to Arsenal, it’s reasonable to remark that he didn’t appear at ease playing off the left yesterday.

After Eddie Nketiah stumbled through the middle, Arteta finally introduced Reiss Nelson.

That was unexpected, nonetheless, that the Spaniard removed Jesus before Nketiah.

Even if they weren’t playing at their best yesterday, Arsenal nevertheless managed to get a result.

Despite suffering some serious injuries in the early going of the season, the Gunners have not yet suffered a Premier League loss.

Arteta tipped to sell Arsenal star in January ‘if the money’s right’; likeliest next club named

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A concerning pattern has led to Mikel Arteta being supported to fire an Arsenal star in January, and the player’s most likely next club has been revealed.

The Gunners made significant summer spending investments in an attempt to close the gap with Manchester City. David Raya was originally brought in on loan, and the transfer costs for Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, and Jurrien Timber totaled £208 million.

Holding midfielder Rice has stepped in right away for Arteta, who prefers Martin Odegaard and either Havertz or Fabio Vieira on either side.

Thomas Partey, a Ghanaian, was hence unable to play in midfield and began the season as a right-back.

But the 30-year-old’s groyne problem has kept him out of action for the moment, adding to a lengthy history of missed games during his stay in north London due to injuries.

Over the summer, Arsenal received inquiries about Partey from the Saudi Pro League. Juventus, an Italian powerhouse, had interest as well, however a transfer was definitely not completed.

However, given Paul Pogba’s temporary suspension, Juventus is reportedly ready to pick up the chase again in January. The Frenchman may have to end his career at Juventus after failing an anti-doping test.

According to Football Insider, Partey is prepared to leave the Gunners if he isn’t put back in their best starting lineup when healthy.

According to analyst Gabby Agbonlahor, Arsenal would be prudent to take advantage of the winter window when it opens.

The former England international gave Partey’s injury history—which, in his opinion, will only worsen now that he is approaching his 30s—as an explanation for why.

Is Partey’s stay in north London dwindling?

According to Agbonlahor, “I would let him go,” to Football Insider. He performs poorly in some games, well in others, and hurts himself in others.

Is he providing you with more than half of a season’s worth of his greatest football when you sit down and calculate it? Does he go far enough?

“If the money was right, I would sell him if I were Arsenal. During the summer, I believe they made an effort.

Despite the fact that he is a talented athlete, I would consider a long-term replacement because his injuries will only worsen with age.

If Arsenal approves Partey’s sale, Juventus appears to have the best chance of obtaining his services.

Man Utd want €50m LaLiga star in huge January raid as report claims Ten Hag doubts over major summer signing

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According to reports, Manchester United is considering a January move for one of La Liga’s top goalkeepers. Erik ten Hag is apparently already unsure about the major summer purchase, Andre Onana, at Old Trafford.

This summer, the Red Devils paid Inter Milan the third-highest transfer fee ever for a custodian when they acquired Onana. Onana will ultimately be paid £47.8 million after add-ons are taken into account, making him the third-highest paid player of all time after receiving an initial payment of £43.8 million.

Surprisingly, the 27-year-old had only signed with the Nerazzurri a year prior to Inter’s sale, which meant they made a tidy profit on their first investment.

Onana, though, has had a terrible start to life at Old Trafford, giving in a startling ten goals in his first six appearances. The Cameroonian is obviously still getting used to his surroundings after giving up a lot of all-too-soft goals, including a meek attempt from Leroy Sane in their Wednesday night loss to Bayern Munich, even though a clean sheet at Burnley on Saturday will have gone down well.

While Onana was far from his peak, sources from the weekend state that Inter felt at the time that their sale of Onana for a high price was “a masterpiece.” United, however, was made fun of for shelling out such a large sum of money for a player who will, in their opinion, “never be considered world class.”

It’s becoming more likely that United will be looking to upgrade when the January transfer window opens, as many commentators have stated that the choice to bring Onana in for the long-serving David De Gea was a poor one.

Man Utd is expected to bid €50 million for Jan Oblak.

Additionally, Spanish media claim that United is considering veteran Atletico Madrid custodian Jan Oblak.

At just thirty years old, Oblak is in his tenth season as an Atletico player and has already made a name for himself as one of the greatest goalkeepers in the world as well as one of the greatest in Spain.

In fact, despite never making a formal bid for the 58-cap Slovenian international, United have found themselves connected to a move for Oblak on several occasions over the years.

But now that stories are circulating in Spain that Atletico are prepared to place Oblak on the market ahead of the winter window starting in just 98 days, things may be set to change.

Furthermore, according to the rumours, Los Rojoblancos want to sell Oblak for €50 million (£43.6 million), which is, strangely, almost exactly the same amount that United paid to sign Onana during the summer.

This is due to Atletico executives’ concern that, given his recent decline in form, Onana may probably be passed his prime. And Diego Simeone’s men are apparently now prepared to cash in on the long-serving star because they think his price may sharply decline if that maintains.

It’s unclear, though, if United could afford such a transfer. Additionally, it would be a significant acknowledgement that Onana’s signing was a costly error given that he was chosen for both his skill with the ball at his feet and his shot-saving ability.

Would the United accomplish that so quickly? That seems improbable, especially considering that the Red Devils have already discovered how difficult it is to maintain the happiness of two No 1s (Dean Henderson was battling against De Gea at the time).

Therefore, despite these rumours, it doesn’t seem likely that United will make a move for Oblak. Spending such money on defensive acquisitions is far more likely to be Ten Hag’s preference, but it would also be beneficial to sign another striker to relieve Rasmus Hojlund of some of his load.

“You don’t just walk away” – Liverpool fan favourite hints at finishing his career at Anfield

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Over the last seven years, Joel Matip has developed into a fan favourite at Anfield and the centre-back has now hinted at retiring at the Merseyside club.

This campaign is the defender’s eighth season with the Reds after becoming one of Jurgen Klopp’s first signings when he moved on a free transfer from Schalke in the summer of 2016. Matip has gone on to play 190 matches for Liverpool, scoring 11 goals and winning every trophy possible on Merseyside.

The 32-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season and his responsibilities have been reduced this season, leaving many expecting the centre-back to leave next summer.

However, Matip has hinted at staying at Anfield beyond this season and it is possible that the Liverpool fan favourite retires at the club.


Joel Matip has hinted at Liverpool stay

Joel Matip speaks about his Liverpool future

Matip has hinted he would like to extend his contract to stay at Liverpool for the remainder of his career, insisting “you just don’t walk away” from Anfield.

“Of course, Schalke was my youth club – as a Schalke fan it was an absolute honour to play there. I had the opportunity to do that for a long time and here in Liverpool, with these absolute top conditions, you don’t just walk away,” Matip said via the Liverpool Echo.

“In addition, I also feel incredibly comfortable here in my private life. I think it’s desirable not to change clubs all the time. But everyone has to decide for themselves. In any case, I find consistency helpful.

“I’m at an age where I don’t think so much about the future anymore. I try to make the most of every day and don’t look too far ahead. If it was only these two clubs in the end, I would be perfectly happy. But in football, you never know exactly.”

‘Not good enough’: ESPN pundit slams 26-year-old Arsenal player after ‘horrendous’ first-half moment

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Gabriel Jesus did not hesitate to criticise Steve Nicol after the striker for Arsenal missed the chance to put the Gunners ahead 2-0 against Tottenham on Sunday.

Nicol was speaking on ESPN following Mikel Arteta’s team’s thrilling 2-2 draw with Spurs at the Emirates over the weekend.

Tottenham performed admirably both times they overcame a deficit. However, Arsenal supporters will believe that they ought to have ended the match quickly after Cristian Romero’s own goal broke the tie.

James Maddison’s pocket was picked by Gabriel Jesus inside the Tottenham penalty area. And right inside the box, the Brazilian found himself facing Guglielmo Vicario almost one-on-one.


Jesus seized the chance right away. He did, however, blow his attempt over the bar. With his hand still on his head, Jesus was left. And as if to express gratitude for the Arsenal striker’s release, Maddison placed his hand on his arm.

Nicol berates Jesus following his Arsenal miss.

Nicol undoubtedly believed that Jesus ought to have used the opportunity far more wisely.


“Haaland only misses the difference, not the opportunity. That ball is in the back of the net if Haaland is that player. That is not something Jesus can do. That is appalling and insufficient, he said ESPN.

It’s been said before that Jesus is just not cunning enough when it comes to goal. During a significant portion of the previous season, the Brazilian failed to score a goal.

It’s unlikely that he belongs in the elite group of strikers. But there’s no denying that he’s a fantastic player who improves Arsenal when he’s on the pitch.

He handled his goal against PSV Eindhoven last week rather well. And strikers all lose opportunities. It appeared like Erling Haaland would never be able to get a hit in a few of his games during the previous season.

It won’t be necessary for anyone to inform Jesus that he could have performed better at that particular moment. And when another opportunity like that arises in the future, it might be reflected.

Fewer touches than Raya: Arsenal could bin “average” dud who made just 6 passes v Spurs

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Following Wednesday night’s convincing victory over PSV in the Champions League, it appeared as though Arsenal had found their smooth playing style again, which had allowed them to dominate the previous campaign.

That did indeed appear to be the case during the first thirty minutes of Sunday afternoon’s north London derby.

Mikel Arteta’s team attacked with great power, forcing the Spurs to play through a relentless pressing unit. To their credit, the men under Ange Postecoglou handled the process quite effectively in that sense.

Bukayo Saka scored a goal through a deflection off Cristian Romero’s wicket, but it wasn’t enough to keep them behind.

Before Saka scored on his own in the second half from the penalty spot, it was ruled an own goal. That was insufficient for a victory, though, as Heung-min Son scored twice to guarantee a 2-2 result.

Arsenal was not playing at their fluid best. After an incredible display in the Champions League a few days prior, captain Martin Odegaard managed just 18 passes at a dismal 64% success rate. Meanwhile, Jorginho, who had been brought on at halftime in place of the injured Declan Rice, saw his second goal for Tottenham taken away in bizarre fashion by James Maddison.

Having said that, Eddie Nketiah, who is usually quite hardworking, was perhaps one of the greatest spoilers on Sunday.

How did Nketiah do in the Spurs game?

Throughout 2023, the youthful striker has served as Gabriel Jesus’ clever deputy.

The Brazilian missed several months of action due to an injury he received during the World Cup last year. It was concerning for the Gunners at the time, but Nketiah came up and scored straight after the half against Brighton and West Ham, and then twice more, including a late winner against Manchester United in late January.


He had a strong start to the new campaign as well, scoring goals against Nottingham Forest and Fulham, but his play has waned now Jesus is back to full strength.

He was substituted off against Everton eight days ago shortly after the hour, and it’s likely that he wasn’t granted much more time than that yesterday.

It’s intriguing to consider if Jesus would have played if Leandro Trossard hadn’t had a training injury. Following his successes in Europe, Jesus was switched to the left side, with Nketiah once again leading the line.

But following a meek performance, Jesus was substituted in the second half; the academy graduate managed to play the entire one hundred minutes.

The first half of Nketiah’s afternoon was probably the most annoying part. With a backpass that sailed past Micky van de Ven, Destiny Udogie gave the number 14 for Arsenal a clear opportunity to score.


He aimed directly at Guglielmo Vicaro in the Tottenham goal, ignoring Fabio Vieira, who was sprinting towards the penalty spot.

The £100k-a-week earner is generally used to doing out the grunt work, but he was mainly inconspicuous throughout, managing just 23 touches of the ball and six passes in 100 minutes on the pitch. For comparison, David Raya, the stopper for the Gunners, had 42 touches overall, giving him better control with the ball in his hands.

Nketiah, who was characterised as “average” by Man United personality Mark Goldbridge, had a forgettable performance in the last third of the game.

His little impact on the game was summed up by Arsenal’s seeming lack of willingness to play the ball into the box during injury time. Normally such a dynamic poacher, he lacked the instinct to be in the right place at the right moment.

To exacerbate the situation, the 24-year-old may have been fortunate to avoid being sent out for a late challenge on Vicario, who zipped past the Spurs custodian with the ball already gone.

It’s rare to argue that Arsenal needs to buy a new striker after the last 12 months. Jesus seemed so good in the first three weeks of the term, but if they stick with Nketiah, problems will only surface in the latter three.

Nketiah needs to be dropped from the starting lineup, regardless of whether Trossard and Martinelli are ready for this week’s games. Now, his place is undoubtedly Jesus’ to take.

4-2-3-1: Ten Hag will crush Palace with this brilliantly transformed line-up

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Though practically every position presents a challenge for tomorrow’s Carabao Cup encounter against Crystal Palace, predicting an Erik ten Hag lineup usually raises one or two difficulties.

Whatever the competition or opposition, Ten Hag usually starts with a lineup that approximates his strongest XI. He will undoubtedly want to build on the faltering momentum of his first victory in four games by putting on a show against the Eagles at Old Trafford.

On the other side, resting important players and scheduling injury returns need to be carefully managed as there are a lot of injuries and matches happening quickly at this time.

It makes sense to give recent acquisition Altay Bayindir, who may or may not have been assured a spot in domestic cup games when he joined the team, his goalie debut. Additionally, it might be prudent to give him some experience in case he is required for “bigger” games. Nevertheless, it would be premature to rest Andre Onana as he is still adjusting to his defence.

Boost for Man Utd with Varane and Mount…

The Ten Hag “strongest XI” mindset is what we believe will win out, and Onana will maintain his position.

The defence of United is, to put it mildly, in disarray with the absence of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, Harry Maguire, Sergio Reguilon, and Lisandro Martinez. Furthermore, there aren’t any apparent young people vying for a position.

Ten Hag claimed Reguilon had been feeling under the weather, even though he had left the pitch against Burnley on Saturday with a hamstring injury. With Diogo Dalot at right back, Reguilon should be able to return at left back.

Predicting the centre back tandem is difficult without knowing Martinez and Maguire’s current state of fitness. On paper, a Varane-Lindelof combination appears to be the strongest, notwithstanding Jonny Evans’ heroics against Burnley.

More alternatives are available in midfield. Kobbie Mainoo has returned to training, and Mason Mount is also nearing a comeback. Among the players on the fringes of the first squad are Donny van de Beek, Dan Gore, and Hannibal; the latter performed admirably in his first Premier League start on Saturday. Along with the mainstays Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, and Scott McTominay, Sofyan Amrabat made a brief appearance in that game, lasting five minutes.

Casemiro should be rested for this one so that Amrabat can make his debut in full. Eriksen, who was benched or rested against Burnley following a subpar performance against Bayern last Wednesday, might play beside him. There’s a chance Mainoo will receive some playing time if he’s fit enough.

Captain Bruno Fernandes is expected to play on and return to his preferred position of number ten because he never misses a game.

It’s possible to rest Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund in favour of Anthony Martial and Alejandro Garnacho. The right wing is now free. Even though Facundo Pellistri also performed poorly in Germany, he might be given another chance there if Mason Mount is deemed healthy enough.

A different formation might be used, with one of the wing men replaced by the mainly ineffectual McTominay to bolster the middle.

In light of everything, the following is our lineup prediction for tomorrow’s match:

“It’s strange” – Mikel Arteta makes worrying Declan Rice injury claim

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Regarding Declan Rice, Mikel Arteta has provided a concerning update following his near-accident during today’s North London game.

The former West Ham midfielder did not appear in the second half, and according to Sky Sports’ broadcast, he watched the second half from the bench with something strapped around his calf.

Arsenal took the lead twice in the game, but Spurs responded quickly each time, and the result was a 2-2 tie.

Mikel Arteta provided an update on his star midfielder’s injury after the game, and it does not appear to be good.

The following update was posted by journalist James Benge on his X account (previously Twitter):

“Arteta says he is optimistic.” “It’s strange a player like him asks to come off because he’s uncomfortable,” Rice says, adding that his ailment is not significant.


Declan Rice, who cost £105 million to acquire from West Ham, joined Arsenal in the summer and immediately improved the club.

Since they don’t really have a suitable alternative for him, Arsenal supporters will be hoping that his injury is not too serious.

After substituting for him in the second half, Jorginho gave the ball away, allowing Tottenham to equalise.