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John Stones didn't know Man City were playing Arsenal next as Declan Rice shares chat
Declan Rice has revealed that John Stones did not know that Manchester City will face Arsenal after the international break.
Declan Rice has revealed that John Stones did not know that Manchester City are set to face Arsenal when the international break concluded. The two are set to share a dressing room on Tuesday when England face Belgium, but their friendship may be put on pause until the Premier League season is wrapped up.
Rice has made a significant impact upon his arrival at Arsenal, being one of very few players to justify having a price tag of over £100million. The playmaker has injected composure and leadership into Mikel Arteta’s midfield, and he could mark his arrival with a title.
The Gunners are currently top of the Premier League on goal difference, with Liverpool level on points and City just one point behind in third. The title race looks set up to be an enthralling contest, with the battle likely to go to the wire.
As a result, every match between now and the end of the season will be deemed a ‘must-win’ by the respective sides. Equally, when two of the title contenders come up against each other, a ‘six-pointer’ could undersell the importance of the match.
Though City star Stones does not appear to be getting caught up in the pressure of the campaign, with Rice revealing that the ex-Everton star did not know who his side would be facing after the international break. He explained: “The first day I came to join up with England I saw John Stones - and he didn't even know they were playing us next! When he's away from football he likes to be with his family and switch off, and I get that.
“He likes to take one game at a time. I said 'big game next' and John said 'who are you playing?' And I said 'we've got you lot!' He said 'oh yeah!'. That tells you how much we speak about it when we're here!
"As lads, we have a bit of banter, but inside us, we know what a big game it is going to be. A potential title decider, it’s going to be really tight. We have got to go to the Etihad which is going to be really tough. But if you want to get past that barrier of Arsenal being labelled stuff, you have to go there and win.”
Unlike years gone by, Gareth Southgate has created an England squad that will willingly unite on and off the pitch, despite being rivals at club level. And the ex-Middlesbrough boss will be hoping that tempers do not flare in the Premier League ahead of the Euros this summer.