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Fans on social media were full of praise for Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice after the Englishman provided a masterclass in the Gunners' 3-0 Premier League win over Bournemouth on Saturday (May 4).
The former West Ham United midfielder was easily the best player on the pitch, as he guided the Gunners to their win, snatching all three points in front of their fans. A penalty converted by Bukayo Saka in the 45th minute opened up the scoring for the hosts, but after that point, it was the Declan Rice show.
The midfielder drove into the area at the perfect time to fight for the ball and get it free, before laying on a quick pass to an unmarked Leandro Trossard in the box. The Belgian winger did not waste the effort, burying it in the back of the net in the 70th minute to double the score.
Rice himself got on the scoresheet with a last-minute goal to make it three. Once again, his ability to get into the area at the right time opened up Bournemouth's defense. He strode past three defenders, picked up the pass from Gabriel Jesus, and got his legs together before powering his effort past the goalkeeper.
Fans on social media were pleased with Declan Rice's performance, with a number of them hailing his quality. Here are some reactions:
"DECLAN RICE YOU'RE A SUPERSTAR!" wrote one fan.
"Premier league goals this season: Declan rice - 7 goals KDB - 4 goals Mac alister- 4 goals," wrote another fan.
Here are some more reactions:
"DECLAN RICE YOU'RE A SUPERSTAR!" wrote one Arsenal fan.
"7 goals and 8 assists from Declan Rice, we got him half price 👏👏👏," commented another.
"Declan Rice is the best midfielder in the world this season. I don’t care what anyone says," another fan added.
"It's actually really laughable that we got Declan Rice for less than what Chelsea paid for Enzo and Caicedo," wrote one Gunners fan.
"Declan Rice was already world class then morons decided a defensive mid has to score goals and make assists so he said ok no problem," praised one fan.
"I can’t even begin to imagine how jealous rival fans must feel watching Declan Rice play for Arsenal. You could’ve had him but he wanted us," a Gunners fan mocked rivals.
"This sport is not for you if you really believe Foden is having a better season than Declan Rice," opined one fan.
"Declan Rice is up there with the best midfielders we’ve ever had. Clean sheet, goal, assist and man of the match in a vital game. World class," wrote one fan.
Other fans added:
Arsenal still in the race for Premier League title
Arsenal have it all to win - or potentially lose - as they currently sit at the top of the Premier League table with four wins in their last five games. They haven't lost a match since the 2-0 shocker handed to them by Aston Villa at home on April 14.
Since then, they have been finding the wins and now have 83 points from 36 games. However, right behind them are Manchester City, who are known for their ruthless winning streaks at the end of the season.
The Cityzens have two games in hand, and if they win both, they will overtake Arsenal before the Gunners' next game.
