Declan Rice shrugs off Arsenal concerns and says 60 games a season is sustainable

Declan Rice has insisted his body can sustain more than 60 appearances again this season, despite Arsenal’s concerns after he played through pain at the World Cup.

Rice racked up 69 appearances last season for Arsenal and England but admitted during the World Cup he had been receiving pain-killing injections to manage neural back and hamstring pain a hamstring injury in December. It is understood Arsenal are monitoring the 27-year-old’s workload closely after he had only three weeks off before returning to training a week before the Community Shield last month.

Rice came off the bench to replace Bruno Guimarães in the victory over Manchester City in Cardiff and has since started all Arsenal’s matches, with Guimarães return from an injury being managed. A major reason why Arsenal bought the Brazil midfielder for £75m from Newcastle was to take some strain off from Rice, although it was noticeable that Rice played all of Wednesday’s Champions League victory at Napoli, with Mikel Merino coming off for Guimarães.

“I think for the last six seasons, even since my West Ham days when they were in Europe, I’ve played 60-plus every season,” Rice said. “So I think it is sustainable because I’ve shown that I can do it.

“It’s just about maintaining it, maintaining the level and the consistency of the performances. For me, that’s the main thing, showing up every week, giving a good account of myself and helping the team win. I’ve been lucky enough to be able to do that. So I’m really hungry to be able to do that again this season.”

It is understood Arsenal offered Rice more time off after the World Cup exploits but that he was keen to return for the start of the season. He is expected to be part of Thomas Tuchel’s squad for Nations League fixtures against Spain, Czechia and Croatia when it is announced next Friday, although whether he features in all four matches remains to be seen, with Arsenal likely to request that he and Bukayo Saka are given another opportunity to rest. Rice said he had found things “tough” during the World Cup but is adamant he is feeling “refreshed”.

“I feel really good at the minute, in really good form, so we’ll make it continue,” he said. “I think everyone knew I had an issue with a neural hamstring. But also on the top of the Premier League season, which was so demanding, the Champions League, to then play a World Cup in that heat really does take its toll. I’m a player that goes on the pitch, wants to be fresh and give 100% every time I put on an England shirt. Yes, there were stages where I felt really, really good and stages where I didn’t feel so good. There were a few things that frustrated me, just with myself, just not feeling 100%. It’s one of those things I just had to manage.”

after newsletter promotion

Rice is one of three England players nominated for the Ballon d’Or this week, with Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane. The ceremony, traditionally in Paris, will take place in London on 26 October as a tribute to Sir Stanley Matthews, who won the inaugural award in 1956, and Rice has backed Kane to become the first English winner since Michael Owen in 2001. “I would Iove to see Harry win it,” he said. “So I’m wishing him all the best in that.”