Rice helped Arsenal draw with Manchester United: Scoring for this club is always special

In the 28th round of the 2024/25 Premier League, Arsenal tied Manchester United 1-1 after Rice scored a goal after leading by one goal. Rice said that it was a special feeling to score for Arsenal, but he also liked the key clearances he made in the game.

In the first half of the game, Ganacho was brought down by Trossard while dribbling the ball, giving Manchester United a free kick opportunity. Bruno Fernandes then scored directly from the free kick, helping Manchester United take the lead 1-0.

In the 74th minute of the second half, Odegaard created an opportunity, Timber received the ball and passed it back from the penalty area. Rice got the ball and shot directly into the goal, helping Arsenal to tie the score 1-1. In the 84th minute, Arsenal made a mistake in passing the ball. After Hojlund got the ball, he was tackled by Rice and lost the chance to shoot.

In the end, Arsenal tied Manchester United 1-1 at Old Trafford. After 2 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss in the last 5 rounds, Arsenal is currently ranked second in the standings with 55 points, 15 points behind the leader Liverpool, who played one round earlier.

When asked about his favorite moment during the game, Rice shared, "Probably the tackle because it was such a crucial situation at the time. It was a small decisive difference in the game. If I had reacted a little slower, it could have been a penalty or even a red card."

“But I made the tackle and then we attacked and almost scored at the other end. Football games are decided by these small differences and for me it’s as important as a goal. This one was a big one so I love it.”

Talking about his personal goal, Rice said, "It was just a decisive shot, and Timber gave me a good back pass. I saw there was space on the other side of the opponent's goal, so the key was to complete the shot cleanly and kick the ball into the far corner of the goal. I am very happy with this goal. It is always special to score for this club. It feels really good."

On the other hand, Arsenal will face PSV Eindhoven at the Emirates Stadium in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16. In the first leg, Arsenal beat their opponent 7-1, giving them a good head start in advancing to the quarterfinals.

Rice continued, "We had good ball possession and movement, but we didn't create enough chances, just like the previous match against PSV. Although it felt good to control the game and pass the ball smoothly, we lacked enough threat in the first half. In the second half, our offense opened up a little and created more opportunities."

"In the last 10 minutes, we were a little too risky and did something we have hardly done this season and almost lost the game. So for me, there were two different interpretations of this game and it was probably fair to get a point in the end. David Raya's saves in the final stages were also crucial, especially those two great saves, so he deserves all the praise."