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Arsenal fans truly love Declan Rice. They did not just get one of the best midfielders in the world from West Ham in 2023. They also got a serial winner. A mentality monster. And a set-piece specialist.
Things have really improved for Arsenal since Rice joined the club, and this season might prove to everyone just how good of a player he is.
Rice has been one of England's very best players for quite some time now, and his partnership with Mikel Zubimendi has helped him in going forward even more, and people don't realise just how good he is now, with more freedom to operate in the attack as well as defend a lot inside his own half as well.
He is a top-two midfielder in the Premier League at the moment, and if you don't put him in that conversation, you may as well argue with a tree.
Caicedo’s message on facing Rice that Arsenal fans might not be expecting
The other midfielder people mention in that conversation is Moises Caicedo. There has always been a rivalry of sorts between the two, especially with Caicedo being a Chelsea player.
These two players have taken considerable leaps over the course of their careers, and it will be a huge battle in the middle of the park on Sunday.
There's this misconception, though, that the rivalry is turning into a relationship where they don't like each other, or they are directly competing against each other for being the best midfielder in the league.
They really don't play the same position, though, at least, not anymore. That is what people fail to realise sometimes when they pit these two against each other.
However, Caicedo was asked about this a few days ago, and he has just said exactly that.
He said: “Declan Rice, everybody knows how good he is, it will be a great battle. It's very nice, very special and like he said, we play in different positions.
“People compare him and myself but I'm so happy he's doing really well. I enjoy watching him play because he's so good. I want to play against the best defensive and attacking midfielders in the world and he's one of them.
I'm waiting. It's nice that people compare us, but we are not fighting. He wants to do well. I'm going to fight. I'm ready. Everybody is ready. I'm looking forward to it.”
That's what I mean. They are really not the enemies everyone wants them to be. They don't even play the same position anymore.
Everyone knows Rice is more of a box-to-box eight now than he was when he was at West Ham. Caicedo, on the other hand, is a six through and through. Obviously, their paths will cross when they face each other, but these are different profiles.
It will still be an intense and amazing battle, though, just to see how the two players do in the biggest game of the season. It'll be really fun to watch.