Manchester United legend Paul Scholes insists that there is a player on Declan Rice’s team who has had a better season than the Arsenal midfielder.

The Gunners have been in great form this season with Mikel Arteta’s side sitting top of the Premier League after finishing as runners-up in the last three seasons.

Nearest rivals Manchester City beat Wolves on Saturday to close the gap to four points ahead of Arsenal‘s match against Manchester United on Sunday at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal midfielder Rice has been in?phenomenal form this season with many pundits claiming he is the best midfielder in the world on current form.

However, former Man Utd midfielder Scholes thinks Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber has had a more influential season for the Gunners than Rice.

Scholes said on?The Overlap’s?latest fan debate: “Has Declan Rice been that special this year?

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“I really like him, but I’m struggling to see that he is the best player in the league at this point.

“I think your defenders have probably had a bigger influence than Declan Rice.

“I like him but I’m just saying I don’t think he is the best player in the Premier League this year.

“I just think your defenders have had a bigger influence, the likes of Timber. I think Timber has been unbelievable. I think he has been brilliant.

“I couldn’t say Zubimendi has been better than Rice or Rice has been better than Zubimendi.”

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Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has revealed how surprised he is that isn’t a standout attacker in the Arsenal team this season with Arteta’s side top of the Premier League.

Carragher added: “I think I said a few months ago before he got injured, I actually thought, not the best player, but Gabriel [Magalhaes] was the most influential player in the Premier League with what he was doing at set-pieces and Arsenal’s defensive record.

“On Monday Night Football I picked a team of the season so far, the interesting thing was I didn’t put an Arsenal player in the front four, so it was Haaland,?Bruno Fernandes, Semenyo and?Morgan Rogers, but there was no debate about an Arsenal player should be in there.

“I just thought it was interesting, when you think of a team who are so far above everyone else in the league that we wouldn’t say anyone in the front four would be in a team of the season so far, I just don’t think that would ever be the case for a team who are six points clear.”