Declan Rice Delivers Stark Reality Check as Arsenal Face Make-or-Break Trophy Test
Declan Rice has issued a stark warning that Arsenal's commanding position and prospects for silverware across multiple tournaments this campaign "won't continue" should their disappointing recent form persist.
The North London club has surrendered leads in consecutive Premier League matches after being ahead with 20 minutes or less remaining, managing just two victories in their past seven league outings and collecting merely 10 points from a possible 21.
While Arsenal maintain their Premier League summit, Manchester City's relentless pursuit means being caught and enduring a fourth consecutive runner-up campaign remains a real threat.
In conversation with Sky Sports ahead of Sunday's north London clash with Tottenham Hotspur, Rice brushed aside the "external chatter" as inevitable 'choking' storylines emerge. The England international emphasized that the squad maintains "complete faith" in one another and possesses the psychological resilience to bounce back from disappointments.
"And we relish it daily," he continued. "Naturally you do. This is our profession—we're representing Arsenal, we're in the [Carabao] Cup final, progressing in the FA Cup, competing in the [Champions League round of 16], topping the Premier League.
"We require some context regarding our current standing, but we must also think more broadly to recognize that if we continue with our current trajectory in terms of outcomes, it won't endure."
Rice maintains Arsenal possess the capability to "triumph in every match", as demonstrated by their domestic and continental performances earlier this term, but the responsibility lies with the players to "recapture that form" before opportunities slip away.
"We must stay alert. You need to be prepared for whatever challenges come your way because that's what these crucial final matches demand," he stated.
Quadruple, Nothing Both Still Possible
Quadruple, Nothing Both Still Possible
Arsenal could claim everything this campaign—Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup—an achievement no English side has accomplished previously. Conversely, there exists a real chance they conclude 2025–26 empty-handed, extending their quest for significant honors into a seventh season.
The club's Premier League championship pursuit remains within their control, provided results improve, as they aim to end a barren spell already stretching 22 years. Should the Gunners secure victory in all remaining matches, they could afford a stalemate with Manchester City when they meet in April. However, that's more challenging than it sounds for a team whose late-season record in recent campaigns has been questionable.
Arsenal face the Carabao Cup final against City at Wembley on March 22, with a Champions League two-legged encounter against Borussia Dortmund, Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen or Olympiacos scheduled around that time. Their FA Cup fifth-round fixture pits them against League One outfit Mansfield Town on March 7.
Securing multiple honors in a single season requires maintaining excellence across various tournaments when stakes are highest.
There's good reason why no English club has achieved a quadruple: the task is extraordinarily demanding. Only Manchester United (1998–99) and Manchester City (2022–23) have previously completed the treble.
Liverpool were the most recent side with quadruple aspirations during their 2021–22 season. The Merseyside club captured the Carabao Cup and FA Cup but came up short in the two premier competitions, finishing second in the Premier League and losing the Champions League final.