Arsenal star Declan Rice sends Man City message and sets record straight on injury status

Arsenal star Declan Rice sends Man City message and sets record straight on injury statusArsenal midfielder Declan Rice is relishing this Sunday's crunch Premier League title clash at Manchester City after helping the Gunners reach the Champions League semi-finalsCommentsSportRyan Taylor14:00, 16 Apr 2026View 4 ImagesDeclan Rice wants Arsenal to make a statement in the Premier League title race at Man CityDeclan Rice stayed behind for Manchester City's Carabao Cup trophy lift - but he could not bare to watch. Now he's using last month's Wembley agony to fuel his pursuit of the Premier League title with Arsenal.‌He said ahead of Sunday's unmissable season-defining grudge match at the Etihad Stadium: "It hurts losing every final but we had to show them respect.‌"We shared the pitch for 90 minutes and ultimately on the day they were the better team. It would have been wrong for us to walk inside and not show that respect. To see them lift that, it did hurt.‌"There is that fire in the stomach to eradicate that on the weekend. We have six games to go in the Premier League. We know how big it is."READ MORE: Arsenal news: Mikel Arteta 'keeping secret' as possible replacement speaks out on planREAD MORE: Arsenal player ratings vs Sporting as 4/10 flop struggles in Champions LeagueSpeaking specifically on his mindset ahead of the contest, Rice is evidently relishing the challenge that lies ahead.He continued: "It’s beautiful, I can’t wait. It’s why we play the game. When you’re a kid watching games and when you’re watching the Premier League, you see these big matches, these title-defining moments.‌"It comes down to if you’re going to be ready and how much do you want it? They’ve obviously been in really good form recently. No one’s going to hand you anything in this league."There’s been a lot of noise. But ultimately, it’s down to us as players. That’s why we’re professionals. That’s why we play this game...