Jamie Carragher praises ‘vastly underrated’ Arsenal star after Man City win

Jamie Carragher believes that Declan Rice’s endowment is going underappreciated aft his latest man-of-the-match show for Arsenal against Manchester City.

Rice registered 2 assists and had a manus successful Arsenal’s opener arsenic Mikel Arteta’s broadside dismantled City with a convincing 5-1 triumph astatine the Emirates.

The Gunners took the pb successful the 2nd infinitesimal but recovered themselves level aboriginal successful the 2nd fractional aft Erling Haaland’s header.

However, the hosts restored their pb conscionable moments aboriginal done Thomas Partey’s deflected onslaught and added a 3rd soon aft done Myles Lewis-Skelly.

A 4th from Kai Havertz and a precocious extremity from Ethan Nwaneri were the icing connected the barroom for a ascendant Arsenal broadside who present move wrong six points of Liverpool astatine the apical of the Premier League table.

Despite a flurry of goals, it was the all-round show and assists from Rice that earned the 26-year-old the antheral of the lucifer award.

The English midfielder’s present has six extremity involvements successful the league this campaign, though that fig is connected way to beryllium considerably little than the 15 helium managed successful his maiden league run with the Gunners.

However, successful lauding Rice’s show connected Sunday, Carragher insisted that those who absorption simply connected his extremity involements are vastly underselling the midfielder’s capabilities.

‘I astir consciousness sometimes that I’m 1 of Declan Rice’s biggest supporters due to the fact that I bash often find myself scratching my caput erstwhile I spot radical criticise him and asking for much goals and assists,’ said Carragher connected Sky Sports.

‘I cognize successful the past 10-15 years we look astatine numbers and analyse things (differently) but I ever deliberation astir erstwhile Thierry (Henry) played alongside Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit successful midfield.

‘They were 2 of the top midfield players successful the satellite astatine that clip and 2 of the top we’ve seen successful the Premier League. I don’t retrieve anyone talking astir however galore goals oregon assists they got.

‘They chipped successful with 5 oregon six a play and for me, Declan Rice is 1 of those benignant of all-round midfielders – a spot similar Roy Keane.

‘He said he’s playing successful the No.8 and a spot higher, but he’s astir similar a throwback midfield subordinate that utilized to play successful a 4-4-2 enactment and could bash a spot of everything.’

Carragher continued: ‘I deliberation he’s a fantastic player, his passing scope is vastly underrated – you saw that with the walk for the 5th (goal).

‘But successful the build-up, getting connected the ball, his power. Everything astir him – his pressing aboriginal connected – he’s an perfectly fantastic midfield player.’

Asked astir his ain show astatine full-time, Rice said: ‘To get 2 assists is truly big, and I request to adhd goals and assists to my game, particularly if I’m going to proceed playing successful the No.8 position.

‘It’s been 1 of the champion days since I’ve been astatine Arsenal.’

Arteta was arsenic impressed with his side’s performance, telling Sky Sports: ‘It is simply a large time for us, particularly with the necessity that we had to triumph the game. The mode that we person done it I americium truly pleased.

‘We had to endure and successful moments we needed a spot of luck, and we had it. They clasp you precise heavy and successful those moments you person to endure and arsenic I said, determination were moments that we were lucky.

‘Overall, we scored immoderate beauteous goals and the squad showed a precocious competitory level.’

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