DECLAN RICE will today become the fifth-youngest player in Premier League history to reach 300 appearances.
At a hostile Elland Road, he will need to use every single drop of his experience in a game that will shape Arsenal’s season.
Leave Yorkshire with three points and the leaders — currently without a win in three Prem fixtures — will be back on track.
Yet if they lose to Leeds, the Gunners will be in crisis as their confidence will have taken another bashing.
So England midfield star Rice has a major role to play.
He is Arsenal’s captain, even if he does not wear the armband.
The skipper is Martin Odegaard but despite winning last summer’s players’ vote to continue in the role, he does not appear to be a natural leader.
Due to his struggles since returning from injury, Odegaard should not even be starting against Leeds.
The Norwegian could not be more different in character to someone like legendary Gunners captain Tony Adams or even Patrick Vieira — the last man to lift the Prem trophy in a red and white shirt following their Invincibles season of 2003-04 (below).
Rice, though, will eventually captain both Arsenal and the Three Lions.
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Aged 27 years and 17 days, he will today hit the 300 mark quicker than former England midfielders Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard.
Already, Rice can be spoken about in the same breath as the legendary pair and will hope to achieve even more for club and country.
Emirates boss Mikel Arteta admitted: “I always said I don’t know where Declan’s limit is.
“The more time you spend with him and watch him train and watch his games, he just gets better. Why? His fuel to improve is always there, he is so consistent.
“His physicality is amazing and, mentally, he is a player that can cope with absolutely everything.
“That is very rare to see and is why in my opinion we have a unique player and we have to give him more and more responsibility.”
Rice did receive criticism this week from former Gunners midfielder Emmanuel Petit, 55, who told him to become nastier on the pitch — even with his team-mates.
Petit — who won the title with Arsenal and a World Cup and a Euros with France — said: “I’m expecting more from him. I don’t want him to be Mr Nice Guy any more.”
Arteta, however, insists Rice has that edge already.
The Spaniard, 43, added: “I will use the word ‘demanding’.
“He is the one who — big time — is there every single day with us, with team-mates and particularly with himself, setting standards.
“If he does something, the others know they have to follow.”
Equally, Rice — who needs to improve his current goals tally of four — is not afraid to make his feelings known to Arteta.
So, does he answer back to his gaffer?
Arteta added: “In a healthy way, because they know they can come to me with any suggestions, especially how they feel and what is best for the team.
“He has the experience, the respect and admiration of the team and because he is someone that when someone has to perform, he is always there. The leadership group takes ownership and responsibility.
“They speak up and talk about how they feel and the things we have to improve.
“To have open discussions between us, coaches, staff and them. It’s very important.
“They have to manage the dressing room and they can do that much better than me stepping in.”
Odegaard needs to give more to the team — just like Rice does.
This season, the 27-year-old has scored one goal and delivered three assists.
Arteta said: “Those are the numbers but we have to give the full numbers as well, that he’s played much less minutes than any other season because he’s been injured three times.
“We want to improve that and we want him affecting the game in the area we can win matches.
“But if you know Martin and how he works every single day, I have no doubt that that will come.”
Arteta will claim all games are important at this stage.
But this trip to Leeds — on the back of two goalless draws and Sunday’s 3-2 loss to Manchester United — will either give his team a massive boost or inflict some psychological damage as they aim to end a 22-year wait for the title.
Asked about the defeat to United, Arteta explained: “When you lose a game you have a lot of feelings, because this group of players are so competitive and they seek excellence.
“We want to improve in every area but with that sense of self-confidence and conviction we are on the right path.”
Arsenal travelled by coach to Leeds yesterday rather than take a flight following the forecast of fog.
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