Lip-readers reveal Declan Rice's title race verdict after Arsenal lose to Man City

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Evening Standard

·19 avril 2026

Lip-readers reveal Declan Rice's title race verdict after Arsenal lose to Man City

Eagled-eyed fans spotted the midfielder’s defiant response to defeat

Declan Rice was spotted issuing an immediate title race rallying cry as Manchester City became favourites to win the Premier League.

Vidéos OneFootball

Goals from Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland saw City win 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, and condemn Arsenal to a second league defeat in a row.

It means the Gunners have gone from heavy odds-on favourites to win their first league crown in over two decades, to being leapfrogged by City in the bookmakers' eyes.

And City can literally leapfrog Arsenal in the title race by winning away at Burnley on Wednesday.

The momentum in the title race is now clearly with City, who are gunning to win their seventh top-flight crown in nine years.

But Rice does not agree. Sky Sports TV cameras zoomed in on the midfielder's face at the full-time whistle blew, hunched over and on one knee he tells captain Martin Odegaard: "It's not over."

Arsenal may not be top of the Premier League by the time they next take to the field, but Rice is up for the fight.

Soon after, Rice was joined by his manager, Mikel Arteta, and team-mates as they were applauded by the travelling Arsenal fans. They will not think it is over, either.