Arteta pays tribute to Rice's set-piece ability & strengths from outside the box

Mikel Arteta singled out Declan Rice’s set-piece ability as the key to setting up an emphatic Arsenal win against the midfielder’s boyhood club.

Rice provided two first-half set-piece assists for William Saliba and Gabriel which kickstarted the Gunners on their way, before scoring an impressive goal from outside the box.

Arteta said: ‘I’m really happy with him (Rice). I know that it was an emotional day for him because he loves West Ham so much.

‘But he had to focus on the task and what he had to deliver. Set-pieces were one of those because when we have certain players on the pitch, he is a better threat outside the box than inside the box.

‘It's always difficult to come back to your old club. The fans were really good to him (Rice). When he went to take the corner they clapped him, so it's great to see that kind of reception.

‘He loves this club so much and I know what it meant to him to play today.’

The statement victory left Arteta believing that his team now have the momentum to be real contenders for the title coming off the back of beating Liverpool 3-1.

‘Yes we are maintaining and building some momentum now,’ he said.

‘After the Liverpool game we had to show that we had that capacity to repeat that level or be better. That was the way we trained the whole week.

‘Performances have been strong as well as results in recent weeks. We need to maintain that because other teams are doing that as well. We are not the only ones. We need to recognise that, so now on to Burnley.’

Bukayo Saka scored twice and reached the 50-goal mark for his club after he and his team ‘smelled blood’.

‘We were four nil up in the first half and could have scored many more, including myself,’ said Saka. ‘I think today we smelled blood, we went for the