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Arsenal stars slammed as tunnel footage emerges - with Declan Rice the only exception
Reach Daily Express | March 4, 2026 11:39 PM CST

Arsenal could be on the verge of the most historic season in the club's history. Not only are they riding high at the top of the Premier League table, but the Gunners are the favourites in the Champions League and have been gifted a favourable knockout draw.

As the days grow longer and the nights get lighter, there is an anticipation in the north London air that something special might be just around the corner. The capital club took a gigantic step closer to a first league title since 2004 when they got the better of London rivals Chelsea at the weekend.

However, it was something that occurred after the gutsy 2-1 win that raised the eyebrows of one former professional. Picking up on how Declan Rice appeared to be the only Arsenal player who acknowledged ex-players Freddie Ljungberg and Emmanuel Petit at full-time, Thomas Hal Robson-Kanu took to social media for a lengthy rant.

Posting footage from the tunnel on X, the former Premier League ace said: "20 years in football teaches you a lot about the unwritten rules of the game... And one of them is how you treat the people who came before you.

"I came across this footage of players and staff leaving through the tunnel after Arsenal's win over Chelsea. Standing there were Freddie Ljungberg and Emmanuel Petit - two Arsenal legends who won the lot and helped shape one of the club's greatest eras.

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"And almost nobody acknowledges them. Not after a win, not on their own patch, nothing. But Declan Rice was the one exception, and honestly, it was great to see. The way he took a moment to acknowledge two men who helped build that club says a lot about his character!!!"

Before concluding: "Football has a short memory, and I get that. But the culture lives in the small moments just as much as the big ones. It costs absolutely nothing - a nod, a handshake, two seconds of your time. Dec gets it, and hopefully others take note."

Rice has been a fan favourite since he arrived from West Ham for £105million in the summer of 2023. He's become a fixture in the Gunners' midfield and is being spoken about as a potential Player of the Year candidate, should Arsenal get the job done in the Premier League.

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