Carragher claims Rice is best midfielder in England, 'not even close'
Jamie Carragher has settled, in his own mind at least, one of the Premier League's most heated midfield debates. The Sky Sports pundit believes Declan Rice has pulled clear of Moises Caicedo as the best midfielder in the country, and he was not shy about saying so.
Rice and Caicedo have been compared constantly since their £100million plus moves to Arsenal and Chelsea respectively in the summer of 2023, with supporters of both clubs, along with plenty of pundits, split over who holds the edge. Carragher no longer sees it as a contest.
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Rice's influence in Arsenal's win over Liverpool on Sunday, where he provided the assist for Kai Havertz, appears to have convinced Carragher that any argument is over. The win also saw Arsenal end a long standing hoodoo at Anfield.
Carragher's verdict
Speaking on Sky Sports' Super Sunday post-show, Carragher did not hold back.
“He's the best midfield player in the Premier League by a long way. It's not even a debate,” Carragher said. “It was a debate last season about him and Caicedo, it's not even close. Declan Rice is the best midfield player in this country. I'm not an Arsenal fan, but sometimes I hear people speak about him. And I'm sort of flabbergasted that they don't understand football and they're not watching the same game as me. He is a world class midfield player, there is absolutely no doubt about it and one of the best midfield players Arsenal have ever had and they've had some great ones when you think of Patrick Vieira and Liam Brady going back further. He is right up there with the best of them.”
A pointed response to Souness
Carragher's comments appear to be aimed, at least in part, at Graeme Souness, who has been a persistent critic of Rice's game this season. Speaking to Piers Morgan on Football Uncensored, Souness questioned whether Rice should even be considered a midfielder.
“He's not a midfield player then is he? I think he may be a centre half. The ball travels faster than you do. I see him run with the ball 30 yards and pass it square,” Souness said. “Modern players are a bit precious. Criticism doesn't fall easily on these (players') shoulders. He isn't the complete midfield player.”
The contrast between the two assessments highlights just how divisive Rice's playing style remains among former professionals, even as his performances continue to draw praise from elsewhere. For Arsenal, the backing from a pundit as prominent as Carragher, who has no allegiance to the club, adds further weight to the growing perception of Rice as the division's standout midfielder.
Arteta's side will look to build on the momentum from the Anfield win as the season continues, with Rice expected to remain central to how Arsenal set up in midfield.
