Pundit tells West Ham star to ‘go play like Roy Keane or Paul Ince’

Dean Saunders believes that West Ham midfielder Declan Rice should start playing like former Manchester United duo Roy Keane and Paul Ince.

Rice has been impressive form this season and is now an influential member of both club and country, leading to him being linked with a move away from the London Stadium.

Punditry should not just be a retirement home for ex-pros

The 22-year-old is now recognised as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.

Now, former Liverpool man Dean Saunders was asked, by talkSPORT, if he would like to play against Rice.

“Would I like to play in midfield against Declan Rice? No,” admitted Saunders.

“If it’s a scrap he’s up there for a scrap, I mean a second ball match, a scrappy match which is about getting to the ball first and winning the ball in the centre circle, he’ll be good at that.

“If it’s a box to box game where we’re going to run for 90 minutes catching the strikers up, catching the back four up, he looks fitter than me as well, it looks like he can do that.”

“The only chance I’ve got of getting on top of him is, I might be a better footballer than him.

“I might be able to control the game with the ball and play around him, I might be able to do that to him, but I think he’s getting better at that.

“So I wouldn’t like to play against Declan Rice, I think he’s getting better and better and better, and he’s getting better at everything.”

The pundit also admitted that he could see Rice’s role changing, from a defensive midfielder to more a box-to-box midfielder, even comparing him to two iconic Premier League stars from the past.

“I’m starting to think at West Ham as if he’s getting a bit fed up sitting in front of the back four, he’s starting to drift everywhere now, maybe that’s why they’re letting a few goals in.”

“I think there’s a point where you have to say to Declan Rice, go and play like Roy Keane or Paul Ince, they just covered every blade of grass.

“I’ll beat you however you want to play today, I’ll beat you at whatever game you want to play today because I’m more determined than you.”