Declan Rice delivered a defiant message to his teammates following Arsenal’s damaging 2-1 loss to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.The 27-year-old midfielder was captured on camera repeatedly telling captain Martin Odegaard “It’s not over yet” as the final whistle blew.
Erling Haaland’s decisive strike handed Pep Guardiola’s side a crucial victory, narrowing the gap to just three points behind the Gunners.City now possess a game in hand and could leapfrog Arsenal at the summit on Wednesday evening when they travel to face Burnley at Turf Moor.
The momentum has shifted firmly towards the defending champions, with many observers now viewing the title as theirs to lose.The former West Ham skipper’s resolute attitude quickly drew praise from supporters across social media platforms.One fan simply declared: “My captain.”
This title race is going down to the wire. 👊 pic.twitter.com/XHITjrssy9— Premier League (@premierleague) April 19, 2026
Another responded: “He’s absolutely right.”A third supporter pointed out: “He’s not wrong, they’re still 3 points ahead.”Others called for Rice to be handed greater responsibility, with one writing: “Give him the armband back for the rest of the season.”
Declan Rice cut a frustrated figure as Arsenal lost to Man City | PA
The sentiment was echoed by another who described his behaviour as “A leader mentality.”Arsenal’s hopes of regaining control rest on City dropping points against relegation-threatened Burnley, who were thrashed 5-1 in the reverse fixture at the Etihad earlier this campaign.City arrive at Turf Moor in outstanding form, having secured victories in their previous four matches across all competitions.
This impressive run includes triumphs over Arsenal in both the League Cup final and the Premier League, alongside wins against Liverpool in the FA Cup and Chelsea.By contrast, Arsenal’s title challenge has faltered significantly in recent weeks.The Gunners have suffered back-to-back defeats in the league, severely denting their championship aspirations.
Erling Haaland struck the winner as Man City beat Arsenal | REUTERS
Their domestic cup ambitions also ended in disappointment after Championship side Southampton knocked them out of the FA Cup.There was some consolation in Europe, however, as Mikel Arteta’s men edged past Sporting Lisbon to book their place in the Champions League semi-finals.Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney offered his backing to Arsenal despite the setback, sharing his thoughts on Match of the Day.”This title race is not over yet, I still feel like there are some more twists and turns to come,” Rooney said.
The former England captain acknowledged the tight nature of the contest but maintained his position on the likely winners.”It is obviously going to be tight but City have got one more game to try to win, so I still have Arsenal down as slight favourites,” he added.While it was a nightmare day for Arsenal, City will be fuelled with belief.Whether manager Pep Guardiola stays beyond the current campaign, regardless of how it ends, remains to be seen.