Mikel Arteta has confirmed that the tunnel altercation between Declan Rice and assistant manager Albert Stuivenberg during Wednesday's Carabao Cup semi-final first leg victory over Chelsea has been completely resolved.
The Arsenal boss stated the matter was "all sorted, all good" when questioned about the confrontation that occurred at half-time of the match at Stamford Bridge.
Any lingering tension appeared to have dissipated by the time Rice departed the pitch in the 82nd minute, with the England international and the Dutch coach sharing an embrace as the midfielder made way for a substitute.
The reconciliation came after a fiery exchange between the pair during the interval of Arsenal's cup triumph.
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The flashpoint in the tunnel saw Rice launch into a profanity-filled outburst directed at Stuivenberg, who has earned the nickname 'AirPod Albert' among supporters.
The midfielder is understood to have declared that the 55-year-old coach "doesn't know what the hell he's on about" before exclaiming "oh for f***s sake" as the disagreement intensified.
Footage captured the heated verbal exchange between the two men in the tunnel area.
''All sorted, all good...'' 🤣
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) January 16, 2026
Mikel Arteta on the heated exchange between Declan Rice and assistant coach, Albert Stuivenberg... pic.twitter.com/coluAaPLby
Teammate Gabriel stepped in to defuse the situation, positioning himself between Rice and the assistant manager as tempers flared.
Despite the Brazilian defender's intervention, Rice persisted with his protestations, vigorously shaking his head and gesturing with his arms raised before Stuivenberg eventually walked away.
When asked whether the incident demonstrated Rice's competitive desire, Arteta responded affirmatively.
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Five things to know about Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta | PA/GETTY"Yes, and the good thing is that by the time I found out the problem was resolved so that's very good," the Arsenal manager explained.
The Spaniard's comments suggested he was not directly involved in mediating the dispute, with the two parties having already settled their differences before he became aware of the full extent of the confrontation.
Arteta's relationship with Stuivenberg dates back to their time together studying for UEFA A coaching qualifications in Cardiff through the Football Association of Wales, where the pair developed a strong working rapport.
Stuivenberg's path to the Arsenal coaching staff has been an unconventional one, with his playing career cut short at just 19 years old following complications from an unusual injury sustained after falling out of bed as a teenager.
The Dutchman subsequently dedicated himself to coaching, spending over a decade nurturing talent at Feyenoord's academy in Rotterdam, where he played a role in developing future Gunners forward Robin van Persie.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has guided his side to the Premier League summit
|GETTY
His CV also includes spells with the Netherlands' youth national teams, a stint working under Louis van Gaal at Manchester United, and positions at Belgian club Genk and the Welsh national setup.
Stuivenberg also notably led Arsenal against Manchester City in January 2022 whilst Arteta was isolating with Covid-19.
Meanwhile, the Gunners are next in action against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
They currently sit six points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table as they chase a first crown since 2004.