Rice reveals key factor that will decide Carabao Cup final vs City

Declan Rice believes Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Manchester City will come down to one crucial element: desire.

The England midfielder, who scored in Arsenal’s Champions League victory over Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday, outlined his simple assessment of what could decide the Wembley showdown.

“Sunday is going to be a great game against them, and it comes down to how much you want it,” Rice said. “How much do you want it on Sunday? How much do you want to win a trophy for this team, and these fans?”

First silverware opportunity

The final represents Arsenal’s first major cup final appearance since lifting the 2020 FA Cup in Mikel Arteta’s debut season. It also marks the first opportunity for silverware in what could potentially become a quadruple-winning campaign.

“Definitely, it could be the start of something,” Rice acknowledged. “It is the first trophy that is up for grabs. If you win that, the momentum after that, that takes you forward, is massive.”

Arsenal enter the final on the back of a 14-game unbeaten streak across all competitions, with Rice expressing confidence in the squad’s current mindset.

“At the minute, every game of football we go into, we believe we can win so we’ll be ready and looking forward to it,” he said.

Fixture congestion taking its toll

The 27-year-old admitted the relentless schedule of competing on four fronts is beginning to show its effects. Rice has featured in almost every match this season, missing European games only through illness and suspension.

“I’m shattered,” he confessed. “It’s so hard. I’m not just saying that. It’s mentally really, really tough, as hard as it is physically. You have to be really strong, really resilient.”

Despite the challenges, Rice emphasized the squad’s determination to see the season through. “We’re in March now, the season ends in May. Two months left to give it everything we’ve got to leave a legacy at this club [and] hopefully win every competition.”

The midfielder also highlighted teammate Eberechi Eze as a potential X-factor during the run-in, praising his teammate’s finishing ability after Eze opened the scoring against Leverkusen.

Manchester City bring extensive trophy-winning experience under Pep Guardiola to Sunday’s final, but Rice believes Arsenal’s hunger could prove decisive in their quest for a first piece of silverware this season.

According to the Evening Standard, Arteta confirmed his focus can now shift to Sunday’s final after securing Champions League progression.