Declan Rice has revealed he has been bestowed with a fitting new nickname by his Arsenal teammates.
The club’s record signing, by his own admission, made a slow start to the new season as, like many of his England colleagues, he struggled with the after effects of losing the Euro 2024 final to Spain.
Injuries to the likes of Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard has seen Rice saddled with additional responsibility in recent weeks.
The former West Ham skipper has responded superbly and was close to regaining his best form in the weeks that led up to his man of the match display in Arsenal’s 5-1 win over Manchester City.
Covering almost every blade of grass, Rice overpowered the likes of Mateo Kovacic and Bernardo Silva who struggled to contain the 26-year-old over the course of one his best displays for the Gunners.
Rice’s running power and stamina have earned him the moniker ‘the horse’ which he insists fits him perfectly.
‘It’s positive! [Oleksandr] Zinchenko started it and then Jorginho went with it,’ he told Sky Sports. ‘Now everyone starts calling me it.
‘I think it’s because they think I can run all day, that I’m athletic, my ability to go again, my sustainability and availability to the team.
‘Even two days since the last game, I’m running around in training and they’re thinking I’m a mad man. I don’t mind the nickname but I just have to keep it going.’
Having been knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester United, a gap in a grueling schedule opened up which allowed Arsenal to embark on a warm weather training camp in Dubai.
The decision to make that same trip 12 months ago was credited with playing an enormous role in Arsenal sensational form during the second half of last season which nearly saw Mikel Arteta’s men pip City to the title.
It will require another almost faultless run on result if Arsenal are to go one better this season an overhaul Liverpool, but Rice remains confident.
‘There’s still a really long way to go,’ Rice said about Arsenal’s hopes for the season.
‘The manager said in a press conference the other week, no matter what, the only thing we can worry about is ourselves.
‘But at the end of the season, we will be there. We can only keep believing in what we believe in, work on what we’re working on and have full trust in the manager, players and everyone around us that we can achieve great things.
‘It’s down to us to get that over the line. Big things are coming. We need to stay positive and keep going.’