"Just give the lad the armband", "I won't forget these performances" - Fans praise Arsenal star as Gunners qualify into UCL Q/Fs after win over PSV

Arsenal fans on social media have lauded Declan Rice following their 2-2 draw against PSV Eindhoven in the second leg of the UCL round of 16. The Englishman was brilliant on the pitch and has scored two goals and registered one assist in his last three games for the Gunners.

Oleksandr Zinchenko opened the scoring for Arsenal as his well-placed shot went into the net in the sixth minute following a pass from Raheem Sterling. In the 18th minute, PSV got their equalizer through Ivan Perisic, whose strike was out of David Raya's reach, following a layoff from Guus Til.

Sterling’s cross into the box was headed into the net by Rice, who gave the Gunners the lead in the 37th minute. PSV got their equalizer for the second time through Couhaib Driouech, who chipped the ball past the Raya in the 70th minute following a through pass from Isaac Babadi. Thus, the second leg ended in a 2-2 stalemate. This led to a 9-3 aggregate scoreline, implying that the Gunners have booked their spot in the quarterfinals.

However, Rice's performance was a subject of interest on social media as the Englishman put in a good shift against PSV. In his stint, Rice scored one goal and maintained a passing accuracy of 91% (20/22). He successfully delivered two out of three long balls and registered two clearances and 32 touches (via Sofascore).

After the game, fans rushed to X in their numbers to commend the Englishman for his performance and consistency in recent weeks, with one tweeting:

"Just give the lad the armband already. I will follow him to war."

"Declan Monster Rice 🍚," another added.

"Declan Rice, phenomenal since November really. running out of words for the guy, we are blessed to have him at Arsenal football club," a fan opined.

"Declan Rice’s last three matches: 🅰️ vs PSV (A) ⚽️ vs Man Utd (A) ⚽️ vs PSV (H) Firing in front of goal. 🔥," a statistics page posted.

"They’ll never make me hate Declan Rice man," a delighted fan said.

"Declan rice, I won't forget these performances," wrote another.

Who will Arsenal face in the 2024-25 UCL quarterfinal?

Arsenal FC v PSV Eindhoven - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Round of 16 Second Leg - Source: Getty

Having successfully eliminated PSV in the round of 16, Arsenal will take on Real Madrid in the quarterfinals. The first leg of the clash against Los Blancos will be played at the Emirates on Tuesday, April 8.

Meanwhile, the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu will be played on Wednesday, April 16. Real Madrid are considered favorite to win the UCL due to their heritage and experience in the competition over the years.

However, defeating the current defending champions would be a headline-maker for Mikel Arteta's men. The potential return of Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka from injury could be a good boost for the Gunners going into this clash.

If the Gunners could eliminate Madrid in the quarterfinal, they will take on Aston Villa or PSG in the semifinal.