Jamie Carragher has lauded Declan Rice for delivering a performance reminiscent of Roy Keane as West Ham beat Everton, while speaking on Sky Sports Main Event (18/10, 22:44).
Rice stunned the Liverpool icon with how he took control of the match at Goodison Park on Sunday. Angelo Ogbonna sealed the win for David Moyes on his return to the Toffees in the 74th-minute. Rising high to glance Jarrod Bowen’s in-swinging corner past Jordan Pickford.
But Carragher was full of praise for Rice, as the West Ham star dominated the engine room to thwart Everton. Continually nipping in front of Blues shirts to win possession, and driving play up the field while moving the ball.
Carragher in awe of Rice after West Ham win
Carragher lauded Rice’s performance against Everton for being to the same standard as the top Premier League midfielders. The Sky pundit also suggested the West Ham star should not be judged by his goals or assists. Despite Rice wanting to offer a box-to-box presence.
“The way I watched Declan Rice [on Sunday], it reminded me of a Roy Keane performance,” Carragher said. “I never judged Roy Keane on goals or assists, or Patrick Vieira on goals or assists, those top midfield players and that was his performance yesterday.
“Running the game from midfield, having a presence, punching passes in the way Keane used to. Run forward at times, with and without the ball. And every time Everton attacked, he just seemed to be the guy who was there to stop it. It was just a brilliant performance.
“I’m a huge fan of his, I really am. He was head and shoulders above everyone on the pitch yesterday at Goodison Park. He was in this role, breaking things up. But when he was making passes, they weren’t 60, 70-yard passes, he was just punching passes in.
“But sometimes when you’re running with the ball a lot, and you’re not used to it or its not you’re game, sometimes you can lose control of it. But he was always in control of it. And this situation, when Everton looked dangerous, he was the guy in front. It was reminiscent of Roy Keane at his absolute best, in that holding role but still driving forward.”
Does Rice need to score and assist more often under Moyes?
Rice has shown he can offer Moyes a box-to-box presence, despite Carragher suggesting it would be wrong to judge the West Ham star on his goals and assists. The 22-year-old has repeatedly strode forward with and without the ball to carry the Hammers up the field.
He also scored from singlehandedly carrying play from the Irons’ half at Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League group stage. And added a second for the season against Rapid Vienna with a tap-in after charging forward into the space for Michail Antonio to find.
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