Declan Rice sends Mikel Merino message after Arsenal rescue at Leicester
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice took to social media to send a message to teammate Mikel Merino after their 2-0 Premier League win over Leicester.
Rice, 26, played the full 90 minutes on 15 February as Arsenal secured a late win over Ruud van Nistelrooy’s struggling Leicester City side.
Mikel Merino, 28, came off the bench in the 69th minute to replace Raheem Sterling, who had yet another torrid time for Arsenal, to bag a brace and earn all three points.
The Spaniard’s first came in the 81st minute, a powerful header past Mads Hermansen in the Leicester goal before rounding off the scoring just six minutes later.
Arsenal are now just four points off Premier League leaders Liverpool with 53 from their 25 games following their late 2-2 draw with Everton in the Merseyside Derby on Wednesday (February 12).
Merino is starting to find his feet at Arsenal, starting 14 of his 27 games across all competitions, scoring four goals, and providing one assist in his 1337 minutes of action.
Declan Rice and Mikel Merino celebrate in the dressing room as Arsenal earn much-needed win
Rice, on the other hand, has been almost ever-present, starting 30 of his 34 games across all competitions, scoring three goals, and providing seven assists in his 2626 minutes on the field.
Arsenal fans are confident they will win a major trophy this season after Rice’s upbeat message to the supporters about the rest of this campaign.
The England international took to Instagram to share a sneak-peak into life inside the Arsenal dressing room to share an image of a jubilant Merino.
Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus have both been ruled out for the rest of the season, while Bukayo Saka and Martinelli are also out, although their injuries aren’t as serious.
Arsenal will host East Londoners West Ham in their next league game as they seek to gain further ground on Arne Slot’s impressive Liverpool side.