Mikel Arteta believes Declan Rice deserves his place among the world's best midfielders after his double helped Arsenal to a 3-2 win over Bournemouth - a match the midfielder nearly missed through injury.

Rice completed Arsenal's comeback from 1-0 down on the south coast to put them 2-1 and 3-1 up, as the Gunners moved six points clear of the top of the Premier League.

It was Rice's first Premier League double, despite playing 236 times in the competition, and his first for the club since his two free-kicks against Real Madrid last season.

Asked if Rice is among the best midfielders in the world, Arteta replied: "Yes, for me, yes. The ones that we have are the best.

"Declan is constantly adding things to his game, he's constantly adding things to his role in the team. I don't see where he can stop because he can still improve in a lot of areas and he wants to improve. He's such a pivotal player for us."

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

FREE TO WATCH: Highlights of Arsenal's win at Bournemouth