Leandro Trossard, who started as a false nine, often dropped deep to receive the ball and Rice was charged with bombing on and filling the space left by the Belgian. Without the tall figure of Kai Havertz, Arsenal needed a presence in the box and Rice offered that, going close with a first-half header after arriving late.

Martin Zubimendi is getting all the right noises from those that know to vindicate Arsenal's chase of Spain international

Pep Guardiola may well have provided the solution to Arsenal's striker crisis and if Mikel Arteta listened, he could yet have a major say in the Premier League title race