A Kingston-born footballer has revealed how one goal against Manchester United has changed everything for his role at Arsenal.

26-year-old Declan Rice, who was born in Kingston in 1999, has opened up about the exact moment that transformed his Arsenal career – and unsurprisingly, it came in one of the club's biggest Premier League rivalries.

The midfielder joined the Gunners in the summer of 2023 for a then-record £105m from West Ham United.

It was a signing that sent shockwaves across the league, piling immense pressure on Rice to justify the price tag from day one.

"Two years on, he's not only silenced the doubters but established himself as one of the best midfielders in Europe," says AFTV.

And now, Rice admits there was one defining moment that changed everything for him at Arsenal.

Speaking to TNT Sports, Rice reflected on his first season in red and white and how his iconic late winner against Manchester United in September 2023 completely settled him.

He said: "When I wasn't at Arsenal, you see how big of a club Arsenal actually is. Highbury, the history, and then the Emirates.

"When I actually scored my first goal, obviously the history between Arsenal and Man United as well… the way the stadium erupted was like something I've never seen before."

Rice struck in the 96th minute to put Arsenal 2–1 up in that game – a goal that announced him as a "true Gunner".

The midfielder added: "Especially for the fee that I signed for, people obviously expect big moments all the time. "When I did score that goal, it just settled me completely. It made me feel relaxed. That was the turning point for me."