"I was amazed. Amazed, amazed, amazed." The words of Mikel Arteta in August last year, sitting down for his post-match press conference and discussing Declan Rice after Arsenal had hosted Brighton.
Arteta was not waxing lyrical about the midfielder's defensive efforts or hailing a moment of inspiration in attack. This was instead a response of bemusement at Rice receiving the first, and up to this point only, red card of his professional career.
