Declan Rice sends 'honest' Liverpool title message as Arsenal star makes 'panic' claim

Declan Rice says Arsenal are not getting involved in the Premier League title talk - but insists there is no need to panic amid the Gunners' blip.

Liverpool maintained their place at the top of the table going into 2024 after Mikel Arteta's side slumped to a 2-1 defeat away to Fulham. It marked a second straight London derby disappointment after David Moyes' West Ham United inflicted misery on Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on December 27.

Arsenal did momentarily move top of the Premier League after Bukayo Saka reacted fastest to Bernd Leno's save but the Cottagers fought back through Raul Jimenez before Bobby Decodorva Reid completed the scoring.

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The defeat for Arsenal means they sit fourth, one point ahead of Tottenham Hotspur in fifth, and two points off Liverpool in top spot.

"Very disappointing. It’s very tough to take and not good enough from us again today," said Rice.

"The last two results have not been what has been required or we have been setting over the course of the season. We have been performing well up until the last two games, especially off the back of the draw against Liverpool, we felt we could kick on but with two defeats, it’s a tough one to swallow.

"To be honest, I don’t really look at the table. There are a lot of media who talk and say Arsenal are going to win the league this year and we are better this year, but we don’t get involved in that.

"We just try to take everything as it comes, one by one. We’ve been doing really well, we have been at the top of the table and that is where we want to be, it’s a