Declan Rice says Liverpool and Chelsea legends DM’d him after stunning Arsenal performance

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Declan Rice has revealed that a Liverpool and Chelsea legend has slid into his DMs after one of his stunning displays for Arsenal.

Rice has been a pivotal figure in Arsenal’s starting line-up since joining the club in 2023, becoming a crucial member of the squad.

Since then, he has delivered some important individual performances for the Gunners and adapted his game to suit the team.

That led to him delivering a particularly memorable performance last season, and it’s one that saw him gain plenty of plaudits from some notable figures in the game.

Declan Rice received messages from Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard after his Real Madrid brace

One of Rice’s most memorable Arsenal performances came against Real Madrid last season in the Champions League when he scored two stunning free kicks to secure a 3-0 win against the La Liga side.

Rice’s goals were a huge talking point across the football world at the time, with fans and pundits alike stunned by their quality.

However, the England international has revealed to TNT Sports that he was messaged by several legendary figures from Premier League history who quickly praised him.

“Who messaged me? I don’t want to get this wrong. I think [David] Beckham messaged me.

“But I had that many messages, I should know that. But old England legends all of them like Frank Lampard, [Steven] Gerrard, so many people.”

The likes of Lampard and Gerrard were notorious for their goal output within a season, which is an area of Rice’s game that he could still improve upon.

Last season he scored nine times in 52 appearances across all competitions, but Rice previously claimed he’d score 20 goals upfront for Arsenal if the team needed him there.

Declan Rice didn’t anticipate becoming a set-piece specialist

During his time at Arsenal, Rice has become known for his set-piece deliveries, whether that’s whipping in crosses from corners or putting the ball in the back of the net directly.

That wasn’t a big part of his game at West Ham United, but is something that Mikel Arteta has pushed for him to provide.

“It’s crazy because I didn’t come here to become a set-piece taker. But it was something the manager seen in me, and the set-piece coach seen in me.

“I don’t know; they had more belief in me than I had in myself in taking them. The more I started to take them and get more confident with them, the more I realized that I could do what they wanted.”

Rice provided 10 assists last season for the Gunners, playing a key role in the squad’s attacking aspect. He is already continuing this season with three to his name.

“I’ve been really consistent with my deliveries, and obviously, now we’ve scored so much, it gets so much traction.

“I’m happy I’ve been getting assists because that feeling for me, helping out my team, is really special.”