The Top Flight
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The Top Flight’s ‘Outside the Top Six’ Premier League Team of the Year

By Arjun Balaraman

WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND - APRIL 24: Raul Jimenez of Wolverhampton Wanderers and Diogo Jota of Wolverhampton Wanderers plays the ball over the line during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal FC at Molineux on April 24, 2019 in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND - APRIL 24: Raul Jimenez of Wolverhampton Wanderers and Diogo Jota of Wolverhampton Wanderers plays the ball over the line during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal FC at Molineux on April 24, 2019 in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images) /
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This was a tough choice for me between Rice and Idrissa Gueye of Everton, but the newly minted English international has the edge over the Ghanaian because of his abilities with the ball.

Rice has thrived in his holding role under manager Manuel Pellegrini, as he uses his size and strength to often overpower more diminutive midfield players. Still only just 20, Rice is developing into a prototypical modern holding midfielder.

He not only has the ability to win the ball back but has also become much more confident in recent months in then carrying it forward or releasing it quickly to a teammate. Rice does all of the dirty work in West Ham’s midfield and is already turning into a star in the Premier League.

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