Declan Rice sends clear title warning to Arsenal teammates despite red-hot form

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Rice scored the fifth of Arsenal
Rice scored the fifth of Arsenal's six at Bramall Lane

Declan Rice has warned Arsenal cannot afford a single slip-up in the title race.

Arsenal have enjoyed seven consecutive wins and can go top on Saturday if they beat Brentford at home with rivals Liverpool and Manchester City going head-to-head at Anfield the next day.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has already warned it could take 90 points to become champions and Arsenal have 11 games left with little margin for error.

Rice insists that Arsenal now go into every match believing it is a must-win game because the three-horse title race has become neck-and-neck.

Arsenal midfielder Rice said: “I think if you look at the two other teams at the top, they don’t look like they are going to slip up anytime soon.

Mikel Arteta's dream Arsenal line up as last-gasp January transfers are secured qhidqhiquziqqhinvMikel Arteta's dream Arsenal line up as last-gasp January transfers are secured

“It is the Premier League, you need to be on it every single game. You can’t have any slip-ups.

“Obviously we were the last to play this time, so it is always on our mind that we have to win if we want to stay in it. There is such a long way to go, anything can happen.

“Eleven games of football is a really long way. Hopefully we can keep winning matches, but it is one game at a time.

“We have been in this position before and I think it is just stay humble. Wait for the games to come and attack them when the day arrives.”

Rice says they are ready to respond to every challenge with just two points separating the top three. Arsenal fell five points behind Liverpool at the turn of the year but have roared back.

Declan Rice sends clear title warning to Arsenal teammates despite red-hot formRice insists Arsenal must continue their blistering form (PA)

However, Rice has warned they cannot take any game for granted and faced bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United with the same mentality as if they were playing a title rival.

He added: “I think when you come to a team like Sheffield United, who are fighting for their lives, it can always be a sticky game. But it is about mindset, it is about mentality, body language, pushing each other and straight from the first whistle it was on our mind.

“The manager has been on at us all week, that we have to go out and give it absolutely everything to get three points. It was a beautiful first-half.”

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