Tottenham fans all say the same about Declan Rice interview ahead of North London derby
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Tottenham Fans All Say the Same About Declan Rice Interview Ahead of North London Derby
Ahead of a highly anticipated North London Derby between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, Tottenham fans have united in their reactions to an interview with Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice, where he faced a tricky question about supporting Spurs against Manchester City[1]. The clip, aired on Soccer Saturday, has sparked widespread amusement and mockery among Spurs supporters on social media.
In the interview, pundit Jamie Sherwood posed the dilemma to Rice: with Arsenal leading the Premier League and City—second in the table—just points behind, should Gunners fans root for Tottenham to upset City? Sherwood quipped, “There wouldn’t have been many times you’d want Tottenham to win, but maybe tomorrow night?” Rice, fresh off a dominant 4-0 win over Leeds that ended Arsenal's recent blip, laughed and sighed, replying, “You’ve put me on the spot there to be honest!” He sidestepped firmly, focusing instead on Arsenal's training for their Carabao Cup semi-final against Chelsea[1].
Tottenham fans seized on Rice's evasive response, flooding Twitter and forums with memes and comments like “Rice can't even say it—deep down he knows Spurs will smash City!” and “Declan squirming, classic Gooner fear ahead of the derby!” Many highlighted Arsenal's precarious title position, noting City's +26 goal difference trails Arsenal's +29, but a Spurs win could disrupt the challengers while doing little for Tottenham's mid-table push[1].
The buzz intensifies ahead of Sunday's derby, with Mirror journalist John Cross calling it a “cracker” for both sides. He praised Tottenham's new manager's chance to win over fans with a victory that could dent Arsenal's challenge, naming Bukayo Saka as Arsenal's talisman but noting Rice has looked “tired lately” despite being their best player this season[2]. Cross expects a fired-up Mikel Arteta but sees Spurs' rest advantage as key. Arsenal's midfield trio of Zubimendi, Rice, and Odegaard remains pivotal, though injuries to Odegaard and Havertz have hurt them[2].
Fans' unified taunts underscore the derby rivalry's heat, with Spurs supporters reveling in Rice's discomfort as both teams eye crucial points.
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