Jamie Carragher has named Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice as his Premier League Player of the Season ahead of Man United captain Bruno Fernandes.
Rice and Fernandes have been the two standout performers in the league this season and have been going head-to-head for the Player of the Season award.
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Fernandes has just broken Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne’s record for the most assists in a single season; meanwhile, Rice has been the driving force behind Arsenal’s title push.
Ahead of the final round of Premier League fixtures, Carragher has explained why Rice has been better than Fernandes this campaign.
Jamie Carragher says Declan Rice has been better than Bruno Fernandes
Jamie Carragher believes that Declan Rice has been better than Bruno Fernandes this season, given the number of important games in which the Arsenal star has featured.
Manchester United were without European football this season and made a swift exit in both domestic cups.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are in the Champions League final, top of the Premier League table and went deep into both domestic cups.
Rice’s levels have dipped over recent weeks simply due to fatigue, but his importance in these big games is why Carragher has picked him over the Portuguese midfielder.
Carragher told Sky Sports: “I went with Declan Rice. I think up until the Man City Cup final, the Man City league game, I think in most people’s eyes, he probably was the Player of the Year. He definitely dropped his level, I would say, in those two Man City games.
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“I’m a big admirer of Declan Rice. Even I was a little bit disappointed with how he performed in the cup final and in the game at Man City. He went away with England; he didn’t play, and they were talking about him being fatigued.
“That’s where I go back to why I wouldn’t choose Bruno Fernandes. He probably hasn’t played enough games and had a chance to be fatigued, playing the games that really matter.
“Then Declan Rice came back to the fore in two Champions League semi-finals. That’s what I’m talking about, Champions League semi-finals, delivering away from home, captain’s performance, and then outstanding again in the return leg.”
Rice deserves serious credit for what he has done at the Emirates Stadium this season, and after missing out on the FWA Footballer of the Year award, he should receive one of the others.
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