Arsenal extended their lead at the top of the Premier League with a 2-0 win over Burnley on Saturday, with Declan Rice winning Man of the Match.
Arsenal star Max Dowman had just the words he needed to sum up Declan Rice’s superb performance to help the Gunners beat Burnley 2-0 on Saturday. Rice, 26, scored his second goal of the season at Turf Moor and played a key role in Victor Gokeres’ opener, doubling Arsenal’s lead in the first half.
The England international headed home after some great build-up play from Gokeres and Leandro Trossard on the counter, sealing Arsenal’s ninth successive win. But Rice’s all-around performance stood out.
The Gunners’ £105 million man made the most tackles (5) and won the most duels (9) against Burnley. Rice continued his excellent form and was deservedly awarded Man of the Match.
After the game, Dauman made it clear how much he values his teammates. “Awesome,” the Arsenal youngster wrote on Instagram while resharing Rice’s post.
While many would agree that Rice is the best midfielder in the Premier League on his current form, Paul Scholes is not. Another Manchester United legend likes Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali.
read more: Alan Shearer’s five-word Arsenal title verdict says it all about Mikel Artetaread more: Declan Rice reveals heartbreaking reason behind Arsenal goal celebration against Burnley
“I think he’s better than Rice. I really like Rice, don’t get me wrong, but I think he has it all,” Scholes argued at last month’s Overlap Fan Debate.
“Sometimes he touches the ball too much or tries to look more stylish than he needs to. He can do everything, but I don’t think he does it enough. I like Tonali better, but they’re both good players.”
The former United star prefers “a different type of midfielder”. “I’m getting fired for this,” Scholes explained on the Stick to Football podcast.
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“I put players in the top five the other week but I didn’t put players like[Moises]Caicedo or Declan Rice because I like different types of midfielders. I like Vitinha from PSG. I think he’s great. He’s great.”
“I thought[Alexis]Mac Allister was a great player when he played for Liverpool last year, but he didn’t start well this year. I prefer a controlling midfielder who can do everything rather than an attacking midfielder. I like more progressive types, not just defensive players who just get around and might score the odd goal here and there.”
But Rice is the only player Mikel Arteta has on his mind, with the Gunners manager praising his form for Lancashire. “I think he stepped up when the team needed him the most,” Arteta told Match of the Day.
“I don’t know how many balls and tackles he got in total. He carried the ball, he scored the ball. That’s his evolution as a player.”
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