The midfielder was at his best, scoring one goal and nearly getting another in a 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb.
Arsenal are now in a very good position in the Champions League group stages.
Post-game, Arteta said of Rice: “His intent, his purpose, especially attacking the positions he is taking and how he's driving with the ball. There is another bite to his game and today he could have scored two goals.
“In the last few weeks he had some big, big open chances to score to affect the game, so overall, I'm very happy because we need to affect the game from those positions and he’s certainly capable of doing that.”
On Rice’s fitness, he added: “He had another niggle and then the demands of the game. He's played so much football in the last two years, and as well, on top of that, we have moved him from one position to another. So, all the factors, but the good thing with Declan is he's so consistent, so reliable. He's always there, and when he can create those sparks, those moments, in the opposition's box, it's a great thing to have.”
On managing the load, he finished: “He needs that like the others. Sometimes it's related to freshen up, and sometimes related to say we need another level and if not, somebody else is going to be there. So everybody has to be on their toes. He's not different to that and you can see that when he's fresher and he's in the condition that he is, he’s a big player for us.”