"He is a really strong cog in their team" - Pundit believes Arsenal star will return to the team 'quickly' after picking up injury against Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur icon Glenn Hoddle has expressed optimism regarding Declan Rice's quick recovery following his mid-game injury in Arsenal's clash against Spurs on September 24.

Rice has emerged as a cornerstone for the Gunners since his club-record transfer worth £105 million from West Ham United in the summer. He was substituted at halftime against Tottenham with Jorginho taking the field in his stead.

At the time of his exit, the scoreline was level at 1-1 at the Emirates. As the game resumed, Bukayo Saka successfully converted a penalty kick, reinstating the Gunners' lead. However, Rice's absence became conspicuous when Jorginho lost possession to James Maddison. It led to a counter-attack that ended in a goal from Son Heung-min, equalizing for Tottenham once again.

The poor showing from Jorginho highlighted Rice's pivotal role in maintaining Arsenal's midfield composure and structure. This was a sentiment echoed by Glenn Hoddle in a post-match analysis for Premier League Productions. Firstly, the former player raised the issues around Rice's back injury (via HITC):

“He has done it (got injured) in the game. Arteta didn’t say that he has had trouble with his back all through the week and we put him in and it didn’t work out. He has actually said ‘there is something wrong with his back here’. And he has probably done it to protect himself for the long-term. Whatever he has done, he hasn’t made it up, that’s for sure."

Hoddle went on to emphasize that Arsenal "missed" the England international, describing him as a "strong cog":

“But I think Rice will, hopefully, be back pretty quickly from Arsenal’s point of view because he is a really strong cog in their team.”

The Gunners' eyes are now on Declan Rice's medical updates, with fans and pundits alike hoping for his speedy return to action. He has played eight games for the club, scoring one goal in a 3-1 win over Manchester United.

---

Paul Merson questions viability of Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah in Arsenal's title ambitions

Arsenal legend Paul Merson has voiced skepticism over whether the attacking pair of Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah have the quality to propel the Gunners to Premier League glory. Both players featured in the starting line-up in the recent 2-2 stalemate against arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

While Nketiah struggled to make a meaningful impact on the game, Jesus squandered a golden chance, shooting disastrously over the crossbar. Addressing the issue on Sky Sports, Merson offered a forthright assessment (via Daily Post):

“I have always said it from day one – Eddie Nketiah is not going to win you the Premier League. You need a proper centre forward. I’m not blaming Nketiah because they drew 2-2 with Tottenham but with 32 games to go and all the Champions League games they have to play, I don’t think he takes them to the next level."

Merson didn't place the blame for the Spurs draw squarely on Nketiah's shoulders, discussing Jesus as well:

“I don’t even think Gabriel Jesus takes them to the next level.”

He has expressed grave reservations about both strikers' abilities to elevate Arsenal, especially with 32 Premier League fixtures still remaining. The duo have scored four goals between them this season so far.

They will be hoping they can prove him wrong, having helped the Gunners qualify for the UEFA Champions League last season.