Declan Rice believes 'there are no limits to what I can achieve' as Arsenal's season reaches crunch point with Sporting UEFA Champions League tie

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Arsenal's Declan Rice has told TNT Sports there are ”no limits to what I can achieve” as The Gunners approach the crunch point of the campaign both domestically and in Europe.

Rice believes there are 'no limits' to individual awards at end of season

Video credit: TNT Sports

The midfielder has been crucial in the north London side becoming strong contenders for Premier League and UEFA Champions League glory. Before the second leg of the quarter-final with Sporting, Rice has spoken of the "confidence" he is playing with.

The Gunners are six points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League - albeit having played one game more - and hold a 1-0 advantage over Sporting at the halfway mark of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie.

As recently as three weeks ago, Mikel Arteta’s men harboured hopes of a quadruple before suffering successive defeats against City and Southampton, in the Carabao Cup final and FA Cup quarter-finals, respectively.

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Rice has been integral in Arsenal being so competitive this term, particularly in the Premier League and Champions League, starting in 37 of their 43 matches across the two competitions.

The England international is being widely tipped for this season’s individual awards, and has received gushing praise throughout the campaign from the likes of Steven Gerrard, who said on TNT Sports last month that ”he's one of the best in the world,"

Talking to Owen Hargreaves on TNT Sports’ The Breakdown, Rice said that Arsenal’s hectic schedule has not given him the time to reflect on these discussions, and has actually helped him to build on the momentum of his positive performances.

‘Wished Liverpool had signed him’ – Gerrard says Rice ‘one of the best in world’

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”I think as the years have gone on, I know there’s been no limits to what I can achieve,” the 26-year-old said.

”I don't think about it all the time because there's games every three days, I can't just sit back and think ‘I might win this, I might win that.’ It's just thick and fast.

”I like that element of it just because once you've got confidence, confidence is everything. Once you’re going into every game with confidence, energy, you know you’re going to play well.

Rice reacts to 'amazing' touch map and reflects on feeling limited at centre-back

Video credit: TNT Sports

”That’s the feeling I’ve had this year. I'm going into games knowing that I feel like I'm going to play well.

”Instead of thinking negative about anything, I just feel positive about the game and about what this team can do. I think that mindset makes a massive difference.”

Rice is coming towards the end of his third campaign with Arsenal, though he ”feels like I have been here years”, and in each of his first two seasons in north London, the club have finished runners-up in the league.

Rice scores 'magnificent' second for Arsenal

Video credit: TNT Sports

The Gunners finished 10 points behind Liverpool last time around, having been pipped to glory by City in the 2023/24 campaign, as they were the year before, when Rice was still at West Ham United.

Following the 2-1 defeat at home to Bournemouth on Saturday, and City’s romping of Chelsea a day later, fears of a fourth successive second-placed finish - and a third title for Pep Guardiola’s side in that time - have heightened once again.

Arsenal make the trip to Etihad Stadium for a hugely significant game on Sunday, knowing defeat will give City the chance to move level on points with five games to go when they visit Burnley three days later.

Despite the frustrations around Arsenal’s near-misses and anxieties of another, Rice is adamant that there has been progression in that time, while he also believes that consistently challenging for titles is noteworthy in itself.

The midfielder said: ”From the moment I've come here, that evolution every season has been, ‘How can you get better? How can you keep going?’

”Obviously, after finishing second for three seasons in a row, it’s been tough to take. You don't want that as a player.

”But it’s easy for clubs to then fall off the next season, so to keep staying on that upward trajectory has been really good.”

Arsenal and Rice will look to take one step closer to a memorable double on Wednesday night when they host Sporting, live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.

Stream the Premier League, men’s and women’s FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League and more live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.

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