Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice couldn’t stop raving about Martin Zubimendi after the Gunners edged Bournemouth 3-2 and pushed their lead at the top of the Premier League. That win put them six points ahead of Aston Villa, and you could feel the buzz around the squad.

The match itself was a rollercoaster. Arsenal grabbed the win with a huge performance from their midfield—Zubimendi, in particular, ran the show. Rice had missed the previous game against Villa, but he came back strong against Bournemouth. Gabriel found the net too, but Zubimendi really caught everyone’s eye with how calm and in control he looked in the middle of the park. Rice made sure to single him out, calling the summer signing from Real Sociedad “unreal.” Zubimendi hasn’t missed a single league game this season and even scored while Rice was out.

Talking to reporters, Rice said, “Don’t underestimate what it takes to come from La Liga and fit straight into this team. He’s not the biggest guy or the strongest, but the way he reads the game just makes us tick. He’s unreal. He’s played loads of minutes, gets on the ball, and you can see why he’s Spain’s No. 6 right now. The quality, the calmness, the way he thinks—it’s all there. Playing with him has been great for me. I’m learning a ton, and we’ve got a good partnership going. We’re both young, both hungry, and we want to keep building on this.”

Zubimendi didn’t hold back when talking about Rice either. He admitted he was surprised by how good the England international really is. “One of the things that excited me most about coming here was playing with Declan,” Zubimendi said. “I always thought he was good, but this year, seeing him up close and how happy he is, he’s taken a big step forward. I’m happy to help him, and he helps me too. Everyone knows what Declan brings—he’s strong, technical, great at set pieces, and his personality surprised me. He wants to lead, both in the dressing room and on the pitch. For me, having a midfield partner like that is vital. He wants the ball and wants to make things happen. It’s the perfect fit.”

Next up, Arsenal has a big one—they’ll face Liverpool on Thursday in the Premier League, then Portsmouth in the FA Cup’s third round. Zubimendi’s going to be key again, especially with people already comparing him to Rodri from Manchester City.

Gaizka Mendieta even weighed in, saying, “When I think of Zubimendi at Arsenal, I think of Rodri at City. City has other players who can fill that role, but it’s not the same. Rodri’s been one of the best in the league because he lets his teammates play their best game, even if you don’t always notice him. When he’s not there, you can’t always put your finger on what’s missing, but it’s obvious things aren’t the same. Zubimendi’s got that same effect—he lets others do things they just can’t do without him.”

Paul Merson, an Arsenal legend, isn’t convinced Viktor Gyokeres is the answer to Arsenal’s title hopes. Even with Arsenal sitting six points clear at the top after beating Bournemouth 3-2—thanks to goals from Gabriel Magalhaes and Declan Rice—Merson still points to the striker position as a weakness.

Gyokeres, who arrived from Sporting CP for about £63.5 million over the summer, started his 19th game of the season against Bournemouth. He’s managed just five goals in 18 league games so far. For Merson, that’s not enough.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Merson didn’t hold back: “Up front, I just don’t think Arsenal has a natural finisher. Gyokeres was brought in to be that guy, but honestly, he’s not a true goal goalscorer. He never seems to get those easy tap-ins, and the goals just haven’t come. When you get down to those last eight games of the season, when nerves are high, sometimes you need a striker who can create something from nothing.

“They need a real poacher, and right now, Gabriel Jesus is the closest they’ve got. I’d pick him or even Havertz over Gyokeres, to be honest. That’s the big issue for me.”

On the other hand, Declan Rice couldn’t disagree more. After the Bournemouth game, Rice praised Gyokeres, calling him “one of the best strikers in the world.” He pointed out how tough it is for Gyokeres, always battling two defenders, always under pressure. But Rice says it’s exactly that strength and work rate that make him crucial for the team.

Rice explained, “Look at my first goal. If Viktor doesn’t make that run from Martinelli’s flick, hold off the defender, and lay it off to Odegaard, the move falls apart. That moment turned the whole game for us.

“And I see what he does in training—when he gets the right chance, he absolutely buries it. Defenders know he’s a problem. Trust me, we wouldn’t be top of the league without him.”