Arsenal midfielder, Declan Rice, has insisted that his team’s 1-1 draw against Brentford could prove to be a vital point in the Premier League title race, urging fans and teammates not to lose perspective as the season enters its critical phase.
The league leaders were forced to settle for a share of the spoils at the Gtech Community Stadium on Thursday night, a result that saw their lead at the top of the table trimmed to four points following Manchester City’s emphatic 3-0 victory over Fulham just 24 hours earlier.
After a goalless first half, substitute Noni Madueke broke the deadlock early in the second period to put the Gunners ahead.
However, Brentford responded just 10 minutes later through Keane Lewis-Potter, who leveled the score and ensured the hosts remained unbeaten at home against the title chasers.
Speaking in his post-match interview, the England international acknowledged the difficulty of the fixture but refused to view the result as a failure.
“We weren’t naive to think that this was going to be a pushover,” Rice said. “They’re an amazing team, they’re seventh in the league and Keith Andrews has got them playing really, really well. It might be a valuable point towards the end.”
Despite dropping two points, Rice emphasized the team’s impressive consistency throughout the campaign, noting that Arsenal have lost only three games in all competitions this season.
“The only thing we can do is just keep worrying about ourselves like we’ve been doing,” he added. “So let’s take the positives, keep going, keep pushing, keep sticking together. Everyone’s needed on this road to the end. There’s a long way to go but we’re positive.”
The draw leaves Arsenal with a slender advantage as the pressure mounts with 12 games remaining.
The Gunners now pivot to FA Cup action on Sunday against League One side Wigan Athletic, before facing a grueling schedule that includes a trip to Wolves and a high-stakes North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur on February 22.
With margins narrowing and Manchester City breathing down their necks, Arsenal’s mettle will be severely tested in the coming weeks.
However, Rice remains convinced that the hard-fought point at Brentford could look very different come May when the title is decided.
