Paul Merson says one Arsenal player ‘affects the game’ more than anyone else in the Premier League

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Arsenal have a number of game-changers in their squad.

The Gunners are leading the race to win the Premier League title, and they have had a perfect start in the Champions League as well.

That is down to Mikel Arteta’s tactics and the performances of his players, and many of them have impressed over the last few months.

Paul Merson has now heaped praise on one such player – Declan Rice.

Paul Merson says Declan Rice is the best box-to-box midfielder in the Premier League

Rice has been sensational for Arsenal since he joined them from West Ham United in 2023.

The England international was mostly a defensive midfielder during his time as a Hammer, and a majority of his appearances for the Three Lions have come in that role as well.

Rice still occasionally plays as a number six at Arsenal, but his main position now is as a left-sided central midfielder.

The Gunners’ number 41 has been magnificent in that role for a couple of years now, so much so that Merson believes nobody is better than him.

He wrote on Sportskeeda: “Declan Rice affects the game more than any other midfielder playing the no.8 role in the Premier League.

“As an all-round package who contributes at both ends of the pitch, I don’t see anyone better than him.

“Enzo Fernandez is good when he goes forward with the ball, but he can’t do what Rice does in defence, no way.”

Paul Merson refuses to compare Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice for one reason

There has been a lot of debate this season over who is better out of Rice and Chelsea star Moises Caicedo.

Gary Neville boldly claimed that the Blues midfielder was superior, while Roy Keane, who knows more about playing in the middle of the park, picked Rice over Caicedo.

Merson, however, has refused to enter into this debate because he feels the two players don’t even play in the same position.

The pundit, as he said above, feels that Rice is the best number eight in the Premier League, while Caicedo takes the crown in defensive midfield.

He said: “Caicedo has to play every week for Chelsea. I don’t put Declan Rice in that holding midfielder role because Martin Zubimendi plays there for Arsenal.

“So I can confidently say that Caicedo is the best in the world in that position at the moment.”