Former Chelsea and Liverpool defender Glen Johnson says Moises Caicedo’s recent displays have not swayed his belief that Arsenal’s Declan Rice is a better player.

Speaking to TG Casino, Johnson suggested that the England international’s consistency and his capacity for producing the goods “week-in, week out” give him the edge over his Chelsea counterpart:

“I think I’d still rather have Declan Rice ahead of Moises Caicedo. If you’d have asked me a few weeks ago, it’d be Rice without a doubt, but Caicedo was fantastic against Liverpool – that’s the best I’ve ever seen him play.”

“If Caicedo played like that on a consistent basis, it would be a lot closer. I think the difference is that Rice is performing at the level week-in, week-out and he has a bit more to his game; he can do everything.”

“Rice showed the reason why Arsenal bought him in the Champions League, and great players step up in the biggest moments. If Caicedo can replicate the performance he put in against Liverpool, there wouldn’t be a lot between them at all, but until then, Rice still edges it for me.”

No Arsenal fan would disagree with Johnson

Rice had a phenomenal debut season at the Emirates following his £105m move from West Ham in the summer of 2023.

Some would argue that the midfielder’s form did dip somewhat at the beginning of his second campaign but he has been superb in recent weeks. The numbers speak for themselves.

During 2024/25, Rice has scored 8 goals and provided 10 assists in 50 appearances, which eclipses the 7 goals and 10 assists he managed in 2023/24.

Rice has improved since moving to the Emirates

At West Ham, the 26-year-old was known for his lung-bursting runs forward and his ability to intercept the ball and break up attacks.

However, Rice has developed his game so he is now an incredibly adept set-piece taker, either from corners or direct free-kicks. He will be key for the Gunners if they are to win a Premier League title in the future.

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