Declan Rice’s Belief Helped Spark Arsenal’s Stunning Turnaround, Says Mikel Arteta
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has revealed how Declan Rice played a major role in inspiring Arsenal’s dramatic revival after what once looked like a season heading toward disappointment.
Only a few weeks ago, the atmosphere around Arsenal was filled with frustration and uncertainty following a painful defeat against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. The result dealt a huge blow to Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes and left many fans fearing the team could finish the season empty-handed once again.
The defeat was emotionally devastating because it arrived during one of the most important stages of the campaign. Arsenal had spent months fighting at the top of the table, showing consistency and quality throughout the season, but losing to Manchester City suddenly shifted the momentum of the title race.
Things became even more difficult just three days later when Arsenal lost their lead at the top of the standings. Questions immediately emerged about whether the Gunners had the mentality and experience needed to recover from such a setback.
But according to Arteta, the dressing room reaction after the defeat told a completely different story.
One moment in particular stood out to the Arsenal manager. Cameras caught Declan Rice mouthing the words “it’s not done” after the final whistle at the Etihad. For Arteta, those words perfectly captured the spirit and belief that still existed inside the squad despite the disappointment.
The Arsenal boss explained that Rice’s reaction reflected the mentality shared throughout the entire dressing room. Even without long speeches or emotional meetings, Arteta could immediately sense that his players were determined to keep fighting.
That belief has since transformed Arsenal’s season.
Since the loss to Manchester City, Arsenal have produced a remarkable response both domestically and in Europe. The Gunners bounced back with consecutive victories over Newcastle United and Fulham, performances that restored confidence and put pressure back on their title rivals.
Even more impressively, Arsenal secured their place in the final of the UEFA Champions League after defeating Atletico Madrid in a huge European clash.
The turnaround has been extraordinary.
What once looked like a collapsing season has suddenly become a campaign filled with excitement, belief, and genuine hope of winning major trophies. Arsenal now find themselves fighting for both the Premier League title and Champions League glory, something few supporters imagined possible after the defeat at Manchester City.
Arteta admitted the mood around the club has completely changed over the last few weeks. The Spanish coach described the energy within the squad as emotional, powerful, and full of confidence.
He revealed that after the victory over Atletico Madrid, the celebrations inside the dressing room showed just how united and motivated the players have become. According to Arteta, the hunger to succeed is now driving the team more than ever before.
However, the Arsenal manager also warned that his players cannot afford to lose focus.
With crucial matches still ahead, including an important Premier League clash against West Ham United, Arteta insists the squad must remain fully concentrated on the present moment. He believes Arsenal’s success will depend on maintaining the same level of intensity, discipline, and determination that has brought them back into contention.
Throughout the last few seasons, Arsenal have often been praised for their attractive football and long-term progress under Arteta. But this current run may represent the clearest sign yet that the team has developed a stronger mentality capable of competing under extreme pressure.
One of the key reasons behind that growth has been Declan Rice.
Since joining Arsenal, the England midfielder has quickly established himself as one of the leaders of the team. His influence extends far beyond his performances on the pitch. Rice has brought composure, aggression, leadership, and confidence to the midfield while also becoming an emotional voice inside the dressing room.
Arteta clearly values those qualities.
The Arsenal manager believes Rice’s mentality after the Manchester City defeat helped inspire the squad to refuse surrender when many outsiders had already written them off. His message of belief appears to have resonated throughout the team during one of the toughest moments of the season.
Arsenal supporters have also embraced Rice as one of the symbols of this new era under Arteta. His passion, work ethic, and determination perfectly match the identity the club is trying to build.
Meanwhile, Arteta also provided updates regarding injuries within the squad. He confirmed that Arsenal have no fresh injury concerns following the Champions League victory against Atletico Madrid, which comes as a major boost ahead of the final stretch of the season.
However, the manager admitted that both Mikel Merino and Jurrien Timber are still facing a race against time to return before the campaign ends.
Despite those setbacks, optimism around the club continues to grow.
Arsenal now look like a team filled with belief, resilience, and maturity. Instead of collapsing under pressure, they have responded with some of their best performances of the season.
And if the Gunners eventually go on to lift silverware, many fans may look back at Declan Rice’s simple words after defeat “it’s not done” as the moment Arsenal’s season truly came back to life.
