Declan Rice shrugs off Arsenal considerations and says 60 video games a season is sustainable | Arsenal

Declan Rice has insisted his physique can maintain greater than 60 appearances once more this season, regardless of Arsenal’s considerations after he performed by means of ache on the World Cup.

Rice racked up 69 appearances final season for Arsenal and England however revealed through the World Cup he had been managing neural again and hamstring ache, for which he’s understood to have acquired a pain-killing injection, after a hamstring damage in December. It is known Arsenal are monitoring the 27-year-old’s workload intently after he had solely three weeks off earlier than returning to coaching every week earlier than the Community Shield final month.

Rice got here off the bench to interchange Bruno Guimarães within the victory over Manchester City in Cardiff and has since began all Arsenal’s matches, with Guimarães return from an damage being managed. A significant purpose why Arsenal purchased the Brazil midfielder for £75m from Newcastle was to take some pressure off from Rice, though it was noticeable that Rice performed all of Wednesday’s Champions League victory at Napoli, with Mikel Merino coming off for Guimarães.

“I think for the last six seasons, even since my West Ham days when they were in Europe, I’ve played 60-plus every season,” Rice stated. “So I think it is sustainable because I’ve shown that I can do it.

“It’s just about maintaining it, maintaining the level and the consistency of the performances. For me, that’s the main thing, showing up every week, giving a good account of myself and helping the team win. I’ve been lucky enough to be able to do that. So I’m really hungry to be able to do that again this season.”

It is known Arsenal supplied Rice extra day without work after the World Cup exploits however that he was eager to return for the beginning of the season. He is anticipated to be a part of Thomas Tuchel’s squad for Nations League fixtures in opposition to Spain, Czechia and Croatia when it’s introduced subsequent Friday, though whether or not he options in all 4 matches stays to be seen, with Arsenal more likely to request that he and Bukayo Saka are given one other alternative to relaxation. Rice stated he had discovered issues “tough” through the World Cup however is adamant he’s feeling “refreshed”.

“I feel really good at the minute, in really good form, so we’ll make it continue,” he stated. “I think everyone knew I had an issue with a neural hamstring. But also on the top of the Premier League season, which was so demanding, the Champions League, to then play a World Cup in that heat really does take its toll. I’m a player that goes on the pitch, wants to be fresh and give 100% every time I put on an England shirt. Yes, there were stages where I felt really, really good and stages where I didn’t feel so good. There were a few things that frustrated me, just with myself, just not feeling 100%. It’s one of those things I just had to manage.”

Rice is one in all three England gamers nominated for the Ballon d’Or this week, with Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane. The ceremony, historically in Paris, will happen in London on 26 October as a tribute to Sir Stanley Matthews, who received the inaugural award in 1956, and Rice has backed Kane to grow to be the primary English winner since Michael Owen in 2001. “I would Iove to see Harry win it,” he stated. “So I’m wishing him all the best in that.”