Lee Dixon has hailed Declan Rice and Kai Havertz's impact on Arsenal this season.
The Gunners celebrated progressing to the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2010 on Wednesday night and they also sit on top of the Premier League table, ahead of Liverpool on goal difference.
There have been a number of star performers for Mikel Arteta's team, but Dixon believes the impact that summer signing Rice has had on the team has really made a difference.
“People have stopped talking about Declan Rice’s price tag now, which shows how brilliantly he’s coped with that pressure and how brilliantly he’s performed,” he told BetVictor.
“His performances have been absolutely outstanding since signing for Arsenal.
“There’s probably no-one in the Premier League that’s made more of an impact this season for their club, be that a new signing or not, just through his performances. His positional play and what he gives the team has been absolutely outstanding. He’s made a massive difference to that Arsenal midfield and the whole team in general.”
The former Arsenal title winner also reserved praise for Kai Havertz, who, after a difficult start to the season, has been a key player for the club in the last few weeks—and Dixon thinks there's more to come.
“I can see Kai Havertz continuing to get better and better for Arsenal,” he added.
“I was always saying to give him time when everyone was criticising him earlier this season and questioning how much he cost and why Arsenal signed him. He’s still young, still learning where his best position is – Mikel Arteta has moved him around a bit.
“He’s always been a very talented footballer, you can see that in him, but sometimes he didn’t look very happy when he first came to Arsenal or Chelsea. He seems quite a shy person and sometimes it takes a while to settle in.
“We’re now seeing better from him but I still think there’s more to come from Kai, but that’s only a plus for Arsenal. Playing in a team like this, if you can’t start to feel good about yourself then you shouldn’t be playing, and he certainly looks as if he’s enjoying his football a bit more now at Arsenal.”
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