Best Premier League midfielder decided after Paul Scholes’ surprise pick

Manchester United icon Paul Scholes is widely regarded as one of the top midfielders ever but not everybody agrees with his pick when it comes to the best in the Premier League right now

If we’re being frank, Paul Scholes clearly knows a thing or two about what makes a top midfielder. But his pick when it comes to the Premier League’s best right now has massively split opinion.

After Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville named Moises Caicedo as the top-flight’s best midfielder following his superb display and goal in Chelsea’s win over Liverpool at the weekend, others have been asked to name their top midfielder. That includes Scholes, who plumped for Newcastle’s playmaker, Sandro Tonali.

But plenty of other names have been put forward by fans on social media since then with a can of worms now well and truly opened. We asked the Mirror Football team who they think is the best midfielder in the Premier League right now and, more importantly, why. Here’s what they said:

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James Whaling

I don’t know if you can have a £105million bargain. But if you can, it’s Declan Rice.

The England midfielder has taken his career to the next level since leaving West Ham for Arsenal having steered the Hammers to their first major trophy since Trevor Brooking was a lad.

He is arguably the Gunners’ most important player and will be key if they are to finally end their Premier League title drought.

Similarly, if Thomas Tuchel is to banish 60 years of hurt in the USA next summer, he will need his star midfielder firing on all cylinders.

There are plenty of other contenders, Rodri would have been nailed on for this accolade before his injury having won the Ballon d’Or, but Rice’s consistency and value to his side gives him the edge.

Ben Husband

An entirely subjective question based off little more than vibes? I’m sure this won’t annoy anybody.

I currently think the league’s three best midfielders are Rice, Caicedo and Liverpool ’s Ryan Gravenberch. And while I don’t think you can go wrong picking any of them, I’ve decided to ignore the last two weeks and pick Gravenberch.

Yes, Arne Slot’s side have hit a bit of a wall in the last fortnight, and yes, Gravenberch has been stifled during that run of three defeats. But I back him to get out of the funk pretty quickly and return to top form. At his best, he can do almost everything…very well.

And like Caicedo, it’s good to remind yourselves every now and again that at 23 he could still become even better. At a pinch under £35m he is also one of the best value-for-money signings the title contenders have made in recent years. I’m a huge fan.

Dan Marsh

Obviously some may have a different opinion but I struggle to look past Declan Rice here, simply because I think he’s evolved into a different player to the one Arsenal signed for big, big money two years ago. And he was quality even back then.

Rice has shown he is far more than a holding midfielder and has added goals and assists to his game, reaching double figures for goal contributions in both of his seasons in an Arsenal shirt so far. Part of that is down to his deadly dead balls, which have become a huge part of Arsenal’s game.

There’s so many different facets of a midfielder’s game, but a truly elite one is good at them all. Rice has grown into a player who can do it all. And I don’t think there’s anybody doing it better right now.

Samuel Meade

The best midfielder in the Premier League, without any hint of competition, is Rodri. But given the Manchester City star has struggled with injuries for a lengthy period he can’t be picked on current form.

So in which case I’d say the stand out in the opening weeks of the season would be either Adam Wharton or Elliot Anderson – and how refreshing that neither players for a top six side. That said, they easily could, and some may argue it is only a matter of time until they are.

Wharton has been impressing for a while now and continues to draw comparisons with some of the game’s great players, all whilst doing so in a very impressive Crystal Palace side. Anderson meanwhile is fast showing that Nottingham Forest may not be able to keep hold of him for much longer.

Anderson was a huge hit for the England U21s and is now part of the senior squad with both men looking destined to go to the World Cup in the summer.

Daniel Orme

Sure, Bruno Fernandes has not got the trophies that your Rodris or your Caicedos have but it’s hard to argue that he isn’t one of – if not the – most effective midfielders in the Premier League. You only have to look at the numbers he’s put together during his time at Old Trafford.

He’s scored 100 goals for the Red Devils, and provided a further 86 assists. You’d be hard pressed to find a midfielder, who has managed to put together similar numbers.

He’s single-handedly dragged United along during the time he has been with the club. Is it beyond the realms of possibility that without him United could potentially have been relegated? I really don’t think it is.

Fernandes is one of those rare players who would perfectly slot in with a number of United’s rivals should the chance arise. That’s not to discredit the efforts of Rodri, Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo, who have all underlined how important they are to their respective sides.

But the question remains whether their individual performances have been as crucial to the fortunes of their clubs as Fernandes’ have been. He can be petulant sometimes, absolutely, but that’s simply because he cares and is an elite athlete who only wants to win.

Scott Trotter

Looking for the Premier League’s best midfielder is a difficult task given the different roles and responsibilities of the division’s best talents. But if you’re looking for a figure who can do it all, it’s hard to look past Declan Rice.

The England international has firmly placed himself in the conversation as one of the league’s best players, while not always being allowed to exhibit his best talents. Previously, he has been misidentified by many as someone only to be utilised with defensive responsibilities in mind. Given freedom to go forward, he will find a way to put an end to Paul Scholes’ goalscoring criticisms.Even with a slow start to this season, Rice is a notable absentee for Mikel Arteta when unavailable. The 26-year-old’s own high standards can make a decent performance seem underwhelming. A disruptor and a creator, Rice is more complete than most.

Crucially, Rice can also deliver in some of the biggest moments. Those Champions League free kicks can’t be ignored. If Arsenal are to find success, Rice will be central.

Nathan Ridley

Blimey, this is tough. I think we’re now seeing a resurgence of midfielders who can do a bit of everything as opposed the days of rudimentary No.10s, No.8s and No.6s.

My gut feeling was to say Rodri, but we just haven’t seen enough of him over the past 12 months to reaffirm that he’s still top of the pile. So I’ll go for Declan Rice; a goalscorer from open play and set pieces, defensively astute, has an engine that can run all day and he’s a leader.

I love his new partner for Arsenal, Martin Zubimendi, while Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister has proven it at the very top level. Moises Caicedo is definitely entering the conversation and I think Sandro Tonali goes under the radar too often in this conversation.Also, can we call Bruno Fernandes a midfielder again? Not that I think Fernandes is the best but he deserves to be in the debate if he’s playing in a deeper role – albeit his numbers have declined there, so it feels like a catch-22.

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