Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice was full of praise for Martin Zubimendi after the Gunners’ 3-2 Premier League victory over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday.
The North London giants recorded a fifth successive league win after a solid performance on the road. Rice was the standout player for the Gunners as he scored his first brace in the English top flight.
There were a number of other great artists. Zubimendi was one of them. After the match, Rice had nice words about his midfield teammate, who was a key catalyst behind the South Coast victory.
The England international described Zubimendi as ‘unreal’ after a strong defensive shift against the Cherries, he told Sky Sports (via Subway):
“I don’t think you should underestimate coming to this team from La Liga. He’s not the biggest player or the strongest, but his brain, the way it works, allows the team to function in such a good way. He’s been unreal.”
“He’s played so many minutes for us, the way he gets to the ball, it’s clear he’s Spain’s number six at the moment and rightly so. You see the quality he brings, the calmness, the composure and the way he thinks.”
“It’s been great to play with him. I’m learning a lot and we’ve built a very good partnership, long may it continue, because we’re both young, we’re both fresh and we want to keep building that together.”
Zubimendi has been a revelation for the Gunners since his move from Real Sociedad last summer. He has adapted quickly to the demands of the Premier League and was one of the signings of the campaign.
Against Bournemouth he was solid in the middle of the park. Despite a nervous start, the Spaniard finished 90% of his passes with 94 touches. He made five clearances, won seven duels and twelve recoveries.
The 26-year-old also made a few tackles and lost possession just nine times. He had less attacking responsibility with Rice back in the team, but still stood out when the Gunners were under pressure yesterday.
Zubimendi and Rice have formed one of the best midfield partners in the division, and keeping the duo fit will be vital to the club’s prospects of ending their two-decade wait for the English top-flight title.
Arsenal are back in Premier League action on Thursday evening against Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium. The reigning champions have been far from their best this season, but the Gunners cannot afford complacency.
Arne Slot’s side will be determined to dent Arsenal’s title hopes by achieving a positive result. The Gunners must perform strongly again to beat the Reds in the league for the first time since February 2024 (3-1 victory).
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