IT only took TWO games this season for Mikel Arteta to call Declan Rice into a meeting about his performances – but since then things have changed for the best.
Rice, 26, has been almost ever-present for the Gunners this season but his manager spotted issues early on and had to do something about it.
Since the chat, Arsenal have built themselves a strong position at the top of the Premier League and Champions League table with Rice starring.
The England midfielder puts a lot of his confidence and current levels down to Arteta.
In an interview with Jamie Redknapp for Sky Sports, he said: “At the start of the season the manager pushed me a lot.
“After two games I was in his office, he pulled me in and wasn’t happy about a few things.
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“There was a few clips of things I wasn’t doing right and the things that are basics in terms of running and tracking your men, with the ball position wise he wasn’t too happy with [it].
“Like I said, at the start of the season I realised myself I probably wasn’t at my best level and this was two or three games in.
“Obviously I had a full season to go and I knew I’d pick it back up.
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“After that, the good thing with this manager is that he knows when to put the knife in me to give me a nudge.
“He knows that will get the best out of me because I love to listen and I love to take it all in.
“I don’t see that as a bad thing that he’s told me that.
“When he said that to me I obviously told myself: ‘Right, I do need to up it here.’
“And obviously since then I’ve gone on and the games are coming thick and fast so I’m trying to play consistently well.”
Rice was Arsenal’s matchwinner on Saturday against Bournemouth, scoring twice in a 3-2 victory that ended up creating a six-point gap to Manchester City in second.
Pep Guardiola’s side could only draw with Chelsea 24 hours later and slipped up on Wednesday at home to Brighton.
Arsenal now have the chance to go eight clear when they welcome Liverpool to north London on Thursday night.
Rice, who has recovered from an injury which kept him out of the 4-1 win over Aston Villa on December 30, is set to play a key part.
