Paul Scholes has questioned whether Declan Rice has been Arsenal’s best player this season and believes Jurrien Timber has been more influential for the Premier League leaders.
Rice has been one in every of many standout performers in Mikel Arteta’s side this term because the Gunners currently sit 4 points ahead of Manchester City, although their lead can be back to seven points with a win against Manchester United on Sunday.
But Scholes, who won 11 Premier League titles with Manchester United, feels Martin Zubimendi has been as equally key in Arsenal’s midfield and claims Arteta’s defensive players have had more influence on their season up to now.
‘Has Declan Rice been that special this yr?’ Scholes said on The Overlap’s latest fan debate.
‘I actually like him, but I’m struggling to see that he’s the very best player within the league at this point.
‘I feel your defenders have probably had a much bigger influence than Declan Rice.
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‘I like him but I’m just saying I don’t think he’s the very best player within the Premier League this yr.
‘I just think your defenders have had a much bigger influence, the likes of Timber. I feel Timber has been unbelievable. I feel he has been good.
‘I couldn’t say Zubimendi has been higher than Rice or Rice has been higher than Zubimendi.’
Meanwhile, Carragher admits he’s surprised that there has not been a standout player in Arsenal’s attack this season.
‘I feel I said just a few months ago before he got injured, I actually thought, not the very best player, but Gabriel [Magalhaes] was essentially the most influential player within the Premier League with what he was doing at set-pieces and Arsenal’s defensive record,’ Carragher said.
‘On Monday Night Football I picked a team of the season up to now, the interesting thing was I didn’t put an Arsenal player within the front 4, so it was Haaland, Bruno Fernandes, Semenyo and Morgan Rogers, but there was no debate about an Arsenal player ought to be in there.
‘I just thought it was interesting, if you consider a team who’re up to now above everyone else within the league that we wouldn’t say anyone within the front 4 could be in a team of the season up to now, I just don’t think that might ever be the case for a team who’re six points clear.’
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