"People don’t notice at times" - Thierry Henry heaps praise on Arsenal star despite loss to FC Porto

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has showered praise on Gunners star Declan Rice despite their 1-0 loss to FC Porto in the Champions League on February 21. The midfielder put in a decent shift at the Estadio do Dragao and has earned plaudits in return.

Arsenal traveled to Portugal to take on FC Porto in the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 tie on Wednesday. Mikel Arteta's men fell to a shocking 1-0 defeat, thanks to Wenderson Galeno's 94th minute strike. But it wasn't all negatives for the Londoners.

The Premier League giants can take solace from Declan Rice's incredible outing in the center of the park. Despite picking up a yellow card early in the game, the Englishman maintained a disciplined performance throughout the encounter without looking in danger of getting a second booking.

Rice barely put any foot wrong at the Estadio do Dragao. He dictated proceedings from the center with ease, completed 86% of his passes, and also made a vital block to deny the Portuguese giants just after the hour mark. After watching the 25-year-old's dazzling performance, Thierry Henry couldn't resist showering him with praise.

“Him stopping what people don’t notice at times,” the Frenchman said on CBS Sports. “What I like is he took a yellow after two minutes and he stayed in the game."

Henry emphasized the Englishman's crucial role in the team's starting XI.

"You will see, you can see him here. He blocks the shot. But at the beginning he is looking at what is happening here [on the edge of the box]. He did it so many times in the game. With a yellow. That’s not an easy one, this is why he’s so important for the team," he added.

It is worth noting that despite dominating possession, Arsenal struggled to break down Porto's rigid defense. Mikel Arteta's men failed to record even a single shot on goal and will need to improve significantly if they want to progress into the next round.

Arsenal's upcoming fixtures explored

The Champions League loss meant that Arsenal's incredible run of five back-to-back wins across all competitions has finally come to an end. Mikel Arteta's men will be hoping to bounce back to winning ways when they return to action in the coming days.

Up next, the Gunners will take on Newcastle United at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League this weekend. That will be followed by clashes with the likes of Sheffield United and Leeds in league action.

Mikel Arteta's men will come back to face Porto in the second leg of their Champions League Round of 16 tie on March 12. They'll need to win by two goals to secure a straight passage into the next round.