Midfielder Declan Rice revealed that he drew inspiration from the legendary David Beckham when he scored a goal from over 35 meters in the 2-2 draw against Chelsea in the ninth round of the English Premier League.
In the 77th minute, goalkeeper Robert Sanchez made a strong pass that Enzo Fernandez couldn’t control. Rice rushed forward and struck the ball with a single touch from a distance of over 35 meters, sending it into the far corner of the empty net, reducing the score to 1-2. This was the second goal scored by the 24-year-old midfielder since joining Arsenal for a transfer fee of $133 million, following his goal that brought the score to 2-1 in the victory against Manchester United in early September.
After the match at Stamford Bridge, the 24-year-old midfielder stated that watching a documentary about fellow countryman David Beckham may have contributed to his spectacular goal.
“People have been talking about this documentary about Beckham, and I watched it for the first time last night,” Rice expressed. “Some of the early scenes were from the match between Manchester United and Wimbledon, where Beckham scored a goal from midfield, and it helped boost my confidence.”
Rice could have passed the ball to three Arsenal players in open positions ahead, but he decided to shoot. “In a player’s mind, you have a split second to make a decision,” he explained. “That’s the fastest thing you have to do. You have to think whether to pass the ball or take the shot yourself. I just watched it again, and it was a fantastic finish, so I’m really happy.”
Rice’s goal reignited hope for Arsenal to secure a point. Seven minutes later, Bukayo Saka crossed to the far post, where substitute Leandro Trossard made a deft one-touch finish from a tight angle, equalizing the score at 2-2 to maintain their unbeaten run from the start of the season. Arsenal currently has 21 points, the same as Manchester City, but ranks below them on goal difference. Tottenham Hotspur has 20 points and will claim the top spot if they defeat Fulham in the latest match of the round on October 23rd.
Rice admitted that Arsenal should have performed better in the first half to avoid falling behind before halftime. The English midfielder also believed that if they had played as well in the first half as they did in the second, Arsenal could have secured all three points.
“Being 0-2 down is really tough,” Rice said. “We always go into the match with the mindset of winning three points. But the way we managed to salvage a point from a 0-2 result away from home, with the fans and Chelsea players in high spirits, showed figҺting spirit and maximum effort. We didn’t win, but there were still positive aspects.”
Similarly, Trossard praised the team’s never-give-up spirit and expressed satisfaction with his goal that helped Arsenal maintain their unbeaten run. The Belgian forward expects the “Gunners” to show the same determination in their upcoming away match against Sevilla in Matchday 3 of Champions League Group B on October 24th.
