EXCLUSIVE Arsenal serenade goal scorer Declan Rice with a dressing-room rendition of Ice, Ice Baby after the England star’s late winner to seal 4-3 comeback at Luton

• Declan Rice’s goal was the fifth time Arsenal have won after 90 minutes in 2023
• The Gunners will be without Takehiro Tomiyasu for the festive period with injury
• Man City are vulnerable, but come the spring they will put on the afterburners. Leaders Arsenal must seize their moment now – Listen to It’s All Kicking Off 

Arsenal celebrated Declan Rice’s last gasp winner over Luton with a dressing room rendition of…Ice Ice Baby!

Rice scored with virtually the last kick of the game, in the seventh minute of stoppage time, on Tuesday night to secure a vital three points for Mikel Arteta’s men and extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to five points.

And Mail Sport can reveal the team kicked-off the festivities in the away changing room by loudly listening to Vanilla Ice’s famous track Ice Ice Baby, with the players singing along to the lyrics in the aftermath of the 4-3 win.

The song has become Rice’s unofficial anthem in recent years. He famously imitated the 1980s tune on Sky TV programme A League Of Their Own.

Rice also has a commercial deal with Muller Yoghurt; with the slogan ‘Rice Rice Baby’ a lead feature of their amusing advertising campaign.

Declan Rice scored a last-minute winner against Luton on Tuesday night to seal all three points

Ice, Ice Baby was made famous by American artist Vanilla Ice – with the song becoming the Arsenal midfielder’s unofficial anthem

What A Match! Celebrating tonight’s game with VCCP’s new Muller Corner Declan Rice radio campaign with Sound Design by Sean Mahoney, Luke Isom and Stuart Allen-Hynd. #WhatAScore #RiceRiceBaby #MullerCorner #DeclanRice #JungleStudios #Advertising #SoundDesign

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The manner of the victory, in which Arsenal were forced to come back from 3-2 down, at Kenilworth Road sparked frenzied celebrations from the Arsenal camp after the game.

The celebrations arrived as a welcome relief to the club’s injury troubles which are mounting with news that Takehiro Tomiyasu will miss a minimum of four weeks with a calf injury.

The Japan star limped off during Arsenal’s win over Wolves on Saturday and has undergone a series of tests this week.

And it is understood Tomiyasu will miss the busy Christmas period, including key games against Aston Villa, Brighton, Liverpool, West Ham and Fulham.

The four week prognosis is viewed as the best case scenario, and whether he can return in that timeframe will depend on how he recovers.

The Asia Cup begins on January 12 and it remains to be seen whether he plays for Arsenal before then.

Arsenal have now won a record five goals in a calendar year in the 90th minute or later

The news arrives as a blow to the Gunners, who are stretched in defence, particularly with Ben White needing to be managed after recovering from what Arteta called a ‘muscular’ problem.

With that in mind Arsenal will prioritise signing a defender when the transfer window re-opens next month, but will also be in the market for a midfielder.

If possible, Arsenal would prefer to loan a new midfielder next month as they await the return to fitness of Thomas Partey, who is currently unavailable due to injury.

In the summer, Arsenal will focus their attentions on signing a permanent central midfielder and striker.

The manner of the victory at Kenilworth Road sparked frenzied celebrations by the Gunners

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