Neville's frank North London derby prediction rings true after Arsenal setback

24 September 2023 , 15:54

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Neville's frank North London derby prediction rings true after Arsenal setback

Gary Neville predicted that Declan Rice 's half-time withdrawal would be a "game-changer" in Sunday's North London derby.

Rice, 24, was withdrawn at the break after experiencing discomfort in his back. The Arsenal star was replaced by veteran midfielder Jorginho with the scores level at 1-1.

After Son Heung-min had cancelled out Cristian Romero's early own goal, Bukayo Saka restored Arsenal's lead from the penalty spot in the 54th minute. However, the lead was short-lived - and it was Rice's replacement who was directly at fault for the goal which restored parity just 27 seconds later.

Jorginho gave up possession cheaply in a dangerous area which allowed James Maddison to feed Son; the Spurs captain made no mistake and finished expertly to make it 2-2, as both teams shared the points.

After Rice failed to emerge from the tunnel after the break, Neville immediately predicted that the £105million man's absence was likely to have a detrimental affect on Arsenal for the remainder of the match. Commentating for Sky Sports as Jorginho jogged on, Neville said: "That could be a game-changer."

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It took just 10 minutes for Neville to be proved right, with Jorginho's error gifting the visitors a crucial goal. Arsenal fans will now be waiting with bated breath to see if Rice will face a sustained period on the sidelines as a result of his latest injury issue.

Rice and Arsenal have also been managing a calf complaint - which was seen heavily bandaged at the final whistle - since the summer. Arteta said of Rice's withdrawal: "Yeah he had some discomfort in his back and he was telling us during the first half he wasn’t comfortable and when we assessed him at half time he couldn’t continue."

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Gary Neville predicted that Declan Rice's injury could be a "game-changer" at the break (Sky Sports)

Saka's ice cool penalty was a direct consequence of a handball in the box from the unfortunate Romero, who had an afternoon to forget. And while the decision divided opinions on social media, Son had no complaints after the match.

When the Spurs captain was quizzed on the incident, he told Sky Sports: "Look the referee made a decision, we can't just argue about this decision. We have VAR in this situation.

"Obviously the derby is an emotional game. It's a decision we accepted and we bounced back really strongly. Coming back at the time was important. We showed great character and [James] Maddison showed great bravery."

Dan Marsh