Declan Rice criticised as Arsenal juggernaut wins 4-1 and Man City face possible 40–60 point penalty

declan Rice was singled out for his behaviour after a sloppy error in Arsenal’s 4-1 victory over Tottenham, a game that restored the Gunners’ lead at the top of the Premier League. The timing of the criticism matters because the title race is running alongside a prolonged tribunal over Manchester City that could, if the gravest findings are upheld, carry a punitive points hit of between 40 and 60.

Declan Rice: Scholes highlights 'overly-emotional' leadership

Paul Scholes said Rice appears “too emotional” and lacks the calm leadership exemplified by Roy Keane. Scholes pointed to moments when Rice urged team-mates to focus—at one point gesturing to his temple—only to be dispossessed two minutes later while attempting to dribble out from the edge of his own area, an error that handed Tottenham an equaliser.

Scholes criticised the visible emotional display—“Come on! Come on! Come on!”—and said he did not like Rice “geeing up the crowd” immediately before Kolo Muani’s goal. Rice, who is 27 years old, apologised on the pitch and went on to produce a solid game, but the former Manchester United midfielder argued that when a team is chasing a title there needs to be a steadier game-management presence.

Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham: Eze and Gyokeres produce braces

Mikel Arteta’s side claimed a convincing 4-1 north London derby win, with Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres each scoring two goals. The win restored Arsenal’s lead at the top of the Premier League to five points after recent slips that saw the club drop four points in away games at Brentford and Wolves.

The error by Rice ultimately did not cost Arsenal any points in this match; the Gunners ran out comfortable winners. Still, statistics in the match thread into a broader concern: Arsenal have conceded 10 goals within ten minutes of scoring across all competitions in 2026 alone, a pattern flagged in the wake of the derby.

Leadership debate amplified by Nicky Butt and list of past captains

Nicky Butt defended Rice as a “big leader” and suggested his energy stems from a desire to win, but he also raised questions about the depth of leadership in Mikel Arteta’s squad. Butt noted that, unlike past sides with vocal figures such as Martin Keown, Tony Adams, Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry—or other famous leaders like Roy Keane, Steve Bruce, Bryan Robson, Mark Hughes and Eric Cantona—current Arsenal players did not publicly challenge Rice after his mistake.

Scholes accepted that emotion has its place but reiterated that it must be harnessed in the right way: leadership requires calmness in key moments.

Man City tribunal: 115 alleged breaches and a verdict still awaited

A football finance expert has warned that Manchester City could face a points deduction of between 40 and 60 if found guilty of the most serious charges. The club and the Premier League are awaiting a ruling over 115 alleged financial breaches that are said to span 2009 to 2018.

The hearing into the alleged breaches concluded after a 12-week tribunal in December 2024, and it has now been 14 months since that tribunal finished. An independent panel has not yet revealed its verdict. Manchester City have denied any misconduct and are believed to be optimistic about being cleared.

Fixture and broadcast context: next matches and Sky changes

Second-placed Manchester City still hold a game in hand and are due to face Leeds this Saturday, while Arsenal prepare for another high-stakes London derby at the Emirates against Chelsea on Sunday; Arsenal beat Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-final twice earlier in the year. The immediate scheduling keeps both clubs in prominent positions as decisions from the tribunal remain pending.

Broadcast developments are also moving: Sky has reduced the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle, a change described as saving members £192 and expanding coverage to more than 1, 400 live matches across competitions. Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase said to be as much as 100 more matches.

What makes this notable is the collision of on-field leadership questions at Arsenal with off-field uncertainty at Manchester City—both threads are now shaping the title conversation and the conditions under which any championship might be decided.