Declan Rice criticised by Paul Scholes after Tottenham blunder as Man City face possible 40–60 point deduction
Paul Scholes has singled out declan Rice’s emotional conduct following an error that briefly allowed Tottenham back into Arsenal’s 4-1 north London derby win, a match that also underlined wider storylines in the Premier League including a looming sanction debate over Manchester City. The criticism lands as the title race and broadcast arrangements continue to shift the season’s landscape.
Declan Rice and leadership
Scholes said on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast that Rice, 27, looks "too emotional" and lacks the calmness shown by leaders like Roy Keane. Rice had been seen gesturing to teammates—pointing to his temple and urging focus—after Arsenal took the early lead, only to be dispossessed while attempting to dribble out from the edge of his own area two minutes later and hand Tottenham an equaliser. He held his hands up and apologised and went on to produce a solid performance, but Scholes questioned whether that temperament is what a title-winning captain needs.
Former teammate Nicky Butt described Rice as a "big leader" and offered some context, saying Rice wants to win so much; Butt added, however, that the incident exposed what he perceives as a lack of leaders in Mikel Arteta’s squad. Butt noted that when the error occurred "not one Arsenal player had a go at him, " and contrasted that with past captains such as Martin Keown, Tony Adams, Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry, and leaders from other eras including Roy Keane, Steve Bruce, Bryan Robson, Mark Hughes and Eric Cantona.
North London Derby and the 4-1 scoreline
Arsenal ran out 4-1 winners at Tottenham, their second north London derby victory of the season, with braces from Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres. The result restored Arsenal’s lead at the top of the Premier League to five points after a tense spell that had seen them drop four points at Brentford and Wolves. The mistake by Rice did not cost points in this instance, but commentators have highlighted a pattern: Arsenal have conceded 10 times within ten minutes of scoring across all competitions in 2026 alone.
Arsenal fixtures and managerial context
Mikel Arteta’s side face another high-stakes London derby at home this Sunday against Chelsea, whom they beat in the Carabao Cup semi-final on two occasions earlier this year. With Manchester City sitting second and holding a game in hand, the result at Stamford Bridge will matter for the title race as fixtures tighten and expectations rise.
Manchester City tribunal and potential points deduction
A football finance expert has argued that Manchester City could be deducted between 40 and 60 points if found guilty of the most serious allegations. The club and the Premier League are awaiting a verdict on 115 alleged financial breaches spanning 2009 to 2018. The hearing examining those alleged breaches concluded in December 2024 after a 12-week tribunal, and it has now been 14 months since the tribunal concluded, with the independent panel yet to reveal its verdict. City have denied wrongdoing and are believed to be optimistic about their exoneration. If the panel finds guilt on the highest-level charges, the immediate effect would be a substantial points deduction that could reshape the table.
Sky changes, coverage and fan access
Separately, Sky has cut the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, offering members a saving of £192 and more than 1, 400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and other competitions. Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 matches compared with prior arrangements, a move that alters how fans can follow the remaining fixtures and any tribunal fallout.
What makes this notable is the collision of club-level behaviour and league governance: a single high-profile error from declan Rice has reopened a debate about leadership at Arsenal at the same time a potential, season-altering sanction for Manchester City remains unresolved. The immediate effects are clear—a restored five-point lead for Arsenal and continuing uncertainty for City—but the broader implication is that both on-field conduct and off-field governance are shaping the drama of this campaign.
