‘BAYERN TIE JUST PERFECT FOR US’
RICE SAYS ARSENAL CAN SHOW THEIR METTLE IN DECIDER AFTER VILLA BLOW
DECLAN RICE believes Wednesday’s Champions League decider against Bayern Munich is the perfect game for Arsenal to show their character, after yesterday’s shock defeat by Aston Villa.
Arsenal were beaten 2-0 here on a day which also saw Liverpool lose 1-0 at home against Crystal Palace, handing Manchester City control of the title race.
City are two points clear at the top of the table with six games remaining and are now favourites to win a fourth consecutive title.
Arsenal must quickly dust themselves down for their Champions League quarter-final, with the tie in the balance at 2-2 after the first leg.
Mikel Arteta called for his players to “stand up and be counted” after their setback against Villa, and Rice has demanded a response in Germany.
“It’s the perfect game for a reaction,” said Rice (below yesterday, after Arsenal conceded their second goal). “We need a reaction and it is a great chance to show our character and leadership.
“We’ve been on such an amazing run since January, won so many matches, and got back into an unbelievable position after being written off at Christmas.
“Now that reaction starts in the Champions League against Bayern, so we’ll be ready for that. We have to park this to the side now. It’s gone. We’ve lost, but we need to bounce back, that’s for sure.
“It’s a great chance for us to get into a Champions League semi-final. Going to the Allianz Arena, it’s going to be a special night. It’s time to pull our socks up and show everyone why we’re in this position.”
Rice admits yesterday’s defeat by Villa was “a kick in the teeth” after Liverpool were beaten at Anfield, but the midfielder believes there will be more twists and turns in the title run-in. Arsenal play twice in the Premier League before City play again because Pep Guardiola’s side face Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-finals this weekend.
The Gunners are at Wolves on Saturday and then host Chelsea next Tuesday, before City face Brighton next Thursday.
“Obviously, it doesn’t read good being two points behind City, but as you can see with the other results today, there are going to be so many more twists and turns towards the end,” said Rice. “We have just got to stay positive. We have got six football matches that we need to give absolutely everything for and good things can still happen. We just need to focus on ourselves. “I turned my phone off [before the game], so I didn’t know the [Liverpool] result. I have just seen it then when I have come back in, so it is even a bit more of a kick in the teeth seeing that result.
“It’s just annoying that we couldn’t get something from the game because, even if you can’t win, definitely don’t lose and you take a point. We have taken nothing, which is obviously gutting.” Arsenal were the better team in the first half yesterday, but failed to take their chances. They had 14 shots on goal and Rice believes the Gunners were punished for not being ruthless, with Villa striking twice in the final six minutes. “Not killing the game off in the first half, that is the biggest one,” said Rice, when asked where Arsenal went wrong. “The chances that we created and missed, in games like this you have to be scoring one or two of them.”