'Oh, for f*ck's sake!' - Declan Rice embroiled in furious X-rated row with Arsenal coach as Gabriel plays peacemaker

Arsenal appeared to be in a positive position at the time, with Ben White’s goal from another corner putting Arteta’s side 1-0 up in west London. It was not, however, an entirely happy camp as players made their way back to the dressing room.

Rice had clearly been irked by something that Stuivenberg - who is known as ‘AirPod Albert’ due to his penchant for wearing wireless earpieces on the touchline - had said and hit back in an X-rated rant.

Casting an eye over the video in question, expert lip-reader Jeremy Freeman has told the Daily Mail of what was said in the fiery exchange. Rice opens the sequence by saying "just go". Brazilian defender Gabriel Magalhaes then steps in and tells Stuivenberg: "Stop, please stop, please stop."

As the conversation continues, Rice blurts out: "Oh for f*ck’s sake". The agitated Gunners midfielder goes on to say: "He doesn’t know what the hell he is on about?" Gabriel, who acts as peacemaker, tells his club colleague: "Calm, hey stop, hey calm."

Arsenal did have cause for celebration at the final whistle, with Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi finding the target for them in an entertaining second-half at Stamford Bridge. Alejandro Garnacho did, however, bag a brace for the hosts to keep Chelsea in the tie.

With the Gunners holding a narrow 3-2 lead, the return leg of a heavyweight Carabao Cup encounter - with a place at Wembley up for grabs - will take place at Emirates Stadium on February 3.

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Rice and Stuivenberg will have had plenty of time in which to iron out their differences by then. The latter has been part of Arteta’s coaching set-up since 2019. They struck up a rapport when studying for their UEFA A coaching licences together in Cardiff with the Football Association of Wales.

Stuivenberg moved into coaching after seeing his playing career in the Netherlands cut short by a cruciate knee ligament injury. He was forced to hang up his boots in 1989 and explore other opportunities away from the field.

Some 13 years were spent working with Feyenoord, where he helped to bring the likes of future Arsenal striker Robin van Persie through a fabled academy system, while he also graced the Dutch national team ranks alongside Louis van Gaal. Productive stints with Genk in Belgium and with Wales were enjoyed before heading to the Emirates.

While Stuivenberg often operates in the shadows, as a trusted lieutenant of head coach Arteta, he did take temporary charge of the Gunners in January 2022 when their manager contracted Covid-19 and was forced to isolate instead of taking to the touchline for a meeting with Manchester City.

Stuivenberg and Rice were not the only prominent figures at Arsenal to lose their temper during a heated derby date with London rivals Chelsea in Carabao Cup competition - with major silverware still up for grabs there.

Spanish midfielder Zubimendi and Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus also clashed with World Cup-winning Argentina international Enzo Fernandez at the final whistle, with there plenty of passion on display from both sides.

Arteta will be demanding more of the same from his team as they remain in the hunt for prestigious honours at home and abroad. Arsenal will be back in action on Saturday when taking in a trip to Nottingham Forest.

They hold a six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table and have important domestic meetings with Manchester United and Leeds to take in alongside Champions League clashes with Inter and Kairat before attempting to finish the job against Chelsea in early February.