Gary Neville has delivered his verdict on Mikel Arteta’s decision to move Declan Rice out of midfield during Arsenal’s trip to West Ham on Sunday afternoon
Gary Neville was left “stunned” by Mikel Arteta’s decision to move Declan Rice to right-back during Arsenal’s Premier League game against West Ham.
Rice, 27, started the match in midfield alongside Myles Lewis-Skelly, but Arteta was forced to shuffle his pack midway through the first half.
Ben White limped off after picking up an injury, and Arteta chose to bring on Zubimendi in midfield and move Rice to the right side of the back four.
It meant that Zubimendi and Lewis-Skelly formed a midfield-two with Rice alongside William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Riccardo Calafiori in defence.
Arteta’s decision to switch Rice to right-back left Neville, on co-commentary for Sky Sports, shocked.
“I’m stunned, actually,” Neville said on the decision to put Rice at right-back.
“To take Declan Rice out of the middle of the pitch is a big call. One of guests in the studio thinks anyone can play at right back so now we’ll find out. If I was Nuno and West Ham I’d be lifted right now, I would be just naturally.”
Neville added: “I have just been told there is no evidence Miles Lewis-Skelly has ever played right-back. But to take Declan Rice out of the middle of the pitch is a big call.”
“I’m stopping myself saying it’s because it’s too obvious too early but I would be thinking about getting Declan Rice back into midfield.”
