Declan Rice has called on Arsenal to “ignore the outside noise,” emphasizing the importance of maintaining calmness among teammates after they missed the chance to extend their lead to six points atop the Premier League with a 1-1 draw against Brentford.
A 61st-minute header from Noni Madueke initially put the Gunners in front at Gtech Community Stadium, but Keane Lewis-Potter equalized just ten minutes later, leaving Arsenal with only a four-point cushion over second-placed Manchester City.
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This outcome marks a significant swing in the title race, as Arsenal was poised for a nine-point advantage before Manchester City recovered to defeat Liverpool at Anfield, followed by a 3-0 victory against Fulham on Wednesday.
Arsenal struggled against a determined Brentford team, extending their record to just two wins in six matches.
The Gunners aim to break a streak of three consecutive second-place finishes as they pursue their first league title since 2004.
“Throughout this journey, it’s unrealistic to expect to perform at your peak for all 70 games of the season,” Rice stated. “It’s about the small details and sticking to the basics. This season is a rollercoaster, and it would be naïve to think it would be straightforward.”
“We face top teams week after week, and we must continue to push ourselves and believe, focusing on what we can control.”
“We need to tune out the external distractions, and we’ve done a good job of that so far. There will always be discussions about the title race and Arsenal, but we have a really composed group.”
“I’m not naïve enough to consider Brentford an easy opponent; they are one of the league’s top teams, as their recent form demonstrates. It’s a point gained on our journey, but we wanted to win the match.”