2. Declan Rice
With Thomas Partey shifted to right-back, Declan Rice was tasked with a more defensive role in midfield against Villa but he sometimes had to do the jobs of Arsenal's entire engine room.
The England international was end-to-end as he helped out in attack and defence. He played a number of troubling crosses into the box from both open play and corners and also made a surging run down the left side in the build-up to Merino's disallowed goal.
Rice's defensive abilities also shined through as he battled well in the midfield to win five duels and two tackles. He completed five defensive actions overall and also managed a 93% pass accuracy. He was a real solid force for the Gunners throughout the game.
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