Man Utd legend backs surprise Arsenal star to replace Ben White - and compares him to Roy Keane

Arsenal could person an unexpected solution to their increasing right-back problems aft Paul Scholes suggested Declan Rice could capable successful defensively.

The Gunners are currently sweating connected the fitness of some Ben White and Jurrien Timber, leaving manager Mikel Arteta abbreviated of earthy options connected the close broadside of defence.

Scholes believes Rice has the carnal and tactical illustration to thrive determination temporarily, and adjacent compared the Arsenal prima to erstwhile Manchester United skipper Roy Keane.

Paul Scholes backs Declan Rice to lick Arsenal right-back crisis

Arsenal’s wounded concerns deepened after White picked up a season-ending injury successful their melodramatic 1-0 triumph implicit West Ham United connected Sunday, portion Timber’s betterment from wounded has taken longer than initially expected.

That has near Arteta progressively abbreviated of specializer right-backs heading into a important signifier of the season.

Scholes, however, believes Rice could beryllium the perfect impermanent solution. He said:

“He [Roy Keane] played determination loads due to the fact that United had Bryan Robson and Paul Ince,” Scholes said.

“Roy played determination loads and was brilliant. Declan Rice looks similar helium would suit playing astatine right-back to me. He tin play there. He’s not a large creator anyway.”

Rice has already shown his versatility nether Arteta and is wide regarded arsenic 1 of the astir tactically disciplined midfielders successful the Premier League, making him a logical exigency enactment if Arsenal’s wounded problems continue.

How akin to Roy Keane is Declan Rice?

The examination betwixt Rice and Keane mightiness initially dependable surprising, but determination are really respective similarities successful their profiles.

Like Keane during his premier years astatine United, Rice combines elite physicality with positional intelligence, antiaircraft consciousness and enactment qualities. Both players built reputations connected winning duels, covering immense areas of the transportation and driving standards astir them.

Rice besides has a antiaircraft instauration from his aboriginal years astatine the Hammers, which makes the thought of him filling successful astatine right-back acold little unrealistic than it archetypal appears.

In Arteta’s strategy especially, full-backs are often required to drift centrally and run astir arsenic further midfielders successful possession, which would suit Rice’s strengths perfectly.

For that reason, Scholes’ proposition is not arsenic chaotic arsenic immoderate mightiness think. Arsenal bash not request Rice to reinvent himself arsenic a semipermanent right-back, but arsenic a short-term hole during an wounded crisis, determination is beardown logic down the idea.

And portion Rice is simply a precise antithetic stylistic subordinate to Keane successful immoderate respects, the examination successful presumption of mentality, strength and tactical subject is surely understandable.