GUNNERS GO DUTCH

Nketiah ensures share of spoils in dead rubber

- MATT DUNN

IT was a match that started with absolutely no point and ended with the two sides getting one apiece.

This was as dead a rubber as you can imagine and Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta used it for a little experiment, in the second half playing Declan Rice at centre-back alongside Gabriel in a reprise of a role he filled near the start of his career at West Ham United under David Moyes.

It wasn't a roaring success.

Within four minutes, the England international was nearly embarrassed by Ismael Saibari, who rifled his shot against the foot of the post.

Rice, making his £105million price tag look a bargain when in his usual midfield position, didn't look comfortable in his deeper role. Nor did Gabriel, whose late blunder let in Guus Til, who dragged his shot wide.

Arsenal's defence has been the bedrock of their title challenge this season and somehow you can't imagine Arteta risking talisman Rice in the back four when the opposition is Premier League rather than Dutch League standard.