Paul Scholes doubles down on contested Declan Rice comment after Arsenal backlash

The former Manchester United star rates Arsenal and England midfielder Declan Rice, but he also made a controversial call on his standing with the Premier League.

Paul Scholes has reiterated that Declan Rice is not his type of midfielder after receiving heavy-handed criticism for not naming the Arsenal player as one of the best in the Premier League.

Scholes has said on the Stick to Football Podcast: "I get slagged off for this, but I did a top five the other week, and because I don't put people like [Moises] Caicedo and Declan Rice, because I like a different type of midfielder.

"I like a Vitinha at PSG, I think he's brilliant - he's amazing. I thought [Alexis] MacAllister last year, at Liverpool, was brilliant, now he's not started great this year.

"But I like that more, not so much attacking midfielder, but that more controlling one who can do a bit of everything, not just the defensive one who just gets around it and might score the odd goal here and there, I like the more progressive type."

Scholes then answered who would be his starting midfield for England. "[Jude] Bellingham has to be in there just because of his goals, ain't he? Not just for his goals, he's a good player," Scholes said.

"I'm trying to think of a midfield player, but my mind's gone blank. I know there's Declan Rice, and people say, 'you didn't have Declan Rice in your top five,' because he's not my type of midfield player."

Roy Keane then interjected, "Well, he's brought [Elliot] Anderson in, ain't he, brought Anderson in from [Nottingham Forest, he's getting a chance."

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