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Arsenal’s pricey star dominates again as Arsenal ease past Burnley

Originally posted on Just Arsenal | Last updated Nov 2, 2025 3:00 PM ET

With goals from Viktor Gyökeres and Declan Rice, Arsenal picked up another win, another clean sheet, and continued to cement their place at the top of the Premier League table.

Every Gunner is pulling his weight right now, but while the squad is collectively stepping up, Rice deserves a special mention – as did Gyokeres, who also had one of his best performances in an Arsenal shirt against Burnley

Take Saturday’s clash at Turf Moor, for example. Declan Rice was immense. He was everywhere.

Midfield dominance

It was a standout performance from the England international in the heart of Arsenal’s midfield. He simply never stopped working, driving play from deep and dictating tempo with composure and power. As ever, his set-piece deliveries were almost unplayable, keeping Burnley under constant pressure.

While there are countless ways to describe his brilliance, the numbers best capture just how influential he was:

Declan Rice vs Burnley:

Most touches (94)
Most duels won (9)
Most possessions won (9)
Most final-third entries (9)
Most tackles (5)
Most interceptions (3)
Most aerial duels won (3)

No midfielder has created more chances than Declan Rice in the Premier League in 2025.

Media reaction

The Evening Standard wrote: “A monster in the middle of the park. Ran the show and caused chaos with his set-pieces. Deserved his goal.”

The Sun added: “He was everywhere in the second half in what was an all-round impressive showing.”

But it was the Daily Star that perhaps summed it up best: “Teams may prepare weekly for Arsenal’s set pieces, but how can you plan against Declan Rice’s deliveries? Another one led to a goal. He then scored a beautifully executed header from Trossard’s cross. His overall game was simply sublime, showcasing some incredible technical skills.”

Backing up those plaudits, Squawka highlighted how Rice dominated every key metric on the pitch.

Rice is exactly what a £100 million midfielder should look like. His presence, power, speed, passing, and defensive intelligence continue to set him apart, week after week. Arsenal are lucky to have him. After the match, Rice was easily as enthusiastic about the overall team performance saying “Our quality shone through“.

Do you think Declan Rice is already Arsenal’s most important player, Gooners?

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This article first appeared on Just Arsenal and was syndicated with permission.

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