The Gunners won 2-1, with Saka putting them 2-0 ahead after coming on in the second-half for his first appearance in three months.
Rice remarked afterwards: “You could see him coming off the pitch, how happy he was.
“I think the reaction from the fans speaks for itself and how much he’s loved here. He’s the man isn’t he? He’s the one that we’ve all been waiting for to come back fit. We’ve got him back at a crucial time, so let’s see what happens.
“He’s worked so hard – really, really hard. I’ve seen him every day. It’s been a nice reset for him, even though he didn’t want to get injured. He’s back fit, he’s training, he’s ready.”
Rice also had a word for fellow goalscorer Mikel Merino on the night.
He added, “He’s unbelievable.
“Seeing him up close and in training, his technical quality – and what he has as a player and how he adapts himself to the team – is incredible.
“It’s not easy being a midfielder who can play eight or six, but then being asked to play nine is a whole different ball game, especially with how the manager wants to play. He’s put himself out for the team. He’s such a good guy and to score a proper striker’s goal is amazing.
“Most teams now come to Emirates Stadium and put up a back five against us so it’s tough to break down. But we stuck to our process and scored a good goal in the first half. Then obviously the Starboy came back and scored his goal in the second half, which was really special!
“Overall, good to get back out there and win the game. We’ve been away from each other 16 days, so to get back and win is a real positive. There are big games coming up, and it’s an exciting time to be an Arsenal player.”