Former Premier League defender Gary Neville has compared Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice to Chelsea legend Michael Essien.
Declan Rice joined Arsenal from West Ham United earlier this summer and when speaking about the 24-year-old on Sky Sports on Monday, Neville explained that he is more like Essien than Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane.
On Rice, the former Manchester United man said: “What I think he brings to Arsenal’s midfield is power, personality and physicality. Essien brought that to Chelsea. I think that would, for me, be a better example of what I see him as.
“[Claude] Makelele was the defender, [Frank] Lampard was the goals and Essien, and this is not a criticism by the way, Essien was a brilliant player. I loved him at Chelsea.
“I thought he was outstanding, but he was the power, he was a force in there for three or four years. And for me, I see him more as an Essien. I wouldn’t put him personally in the category of Keane and Vieira.”
Being compared to Michael Essien is still high praise
The likes of Keane and Vieira are the benchmark for any midfielder in the Premier League. Nevertheless, if people can see similarities between Rice and Essien, then the England international must still be doing something right.
As Neville mentioned, the retired Ghana international was brilliant in the engine room for Chelsea during his time in west London, helping them to win multiple honours, including the title on two occasions.
If Rice has a career anywhere close to Essien’s he will be delighted.
The former West Ham captain, who David Moyes thinks is a “special” talent, has made a good start to life at Arsenal. He won the Community Shield at the beginning of the month and has helped Mikel Arteta’s team to claim maximum points from their first two top-flight fixtures.
His manager will now be hoping that he can kick on and inspire his side to the Premier League crown. That is why the Gunners invested so much money in Rice, to try and close the gap with Manchester City and eventually overtake them.
If he can help them do that, Rice could set himself on the path to becoming a Premier League great.
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