Arteta gets Rice Arsenal position message ahead of City Community Shield clash

Arsenal news: The Gunners face Manchester City on Sunday afternoon in the Community Shield with a major chance for Declan Rice

Mikel Arteta can unleash Declan Rice in the Community Shield clash with Manchester City after he was sent a clear Arsenal position message. The 24-year-old often player as the deepest-lying midfielder while at West Ham with Rice deployed in that role for the pre-season friendly against Manchester United in the USA.

However, Arsenal and West Ham's differing play styles was shown clearly as Rice was often left exposed with the two midfielders alongside him often caught further up the pitch. At London Stadium, Rice was at the centre of a low-block but across the capital, he is highly unlikely to be needed for that.

Former Premier League midfielder Danny Murphy has now delivered his verdict on Rice at Arsenal with a clear positional message to Arteta. "I’m excited to see how he develops at Arsenal, at a better team, with better players around him. It’s a fantastic platform to show the world what a wonderful talent he is,” Murphy told the Daily Mail.

“I’ve spoken to Rice and he’s excited for that too. He wants to be more creative, scoring goals, setting them up because he knows he’s capable of doing that too. He’s got so much quality.

“Graeme Souness has been critical of him in the past and said he needs to contribute more in front of goal. He was right but it’s hard to do that in a team that has less of the ball and sits back. At Arsenal, this is not going to be the same Declan Rice.”

Arsenal take on Man City this afternoon and Rice being deployed in a more advanced role again looks likely with Thomas Partey or Jorginho behind him. Against the fluid midfield deployed by Pep Guardiola, it is sure to be a