After an impressive start to the Premier League season, West Ham midfielder Declan Rice is starting to prove doubters wrong and show why he is a world-class midfielder.

According to renowned football analyst @StatmanDave, who has almost a quarter of a million followers on Twitter, Declan Rice has made more passes into the final third and ball carries into the final third than any other Premier League central midfielder this season.

This beats the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Jorginho and Youri Tielemans, often known for being attacking with their passes and dribbling.

This further proves that Declan Rice is improving his game as a midfielder. Often, over the past couple of seasons, the 22-year-old has come under criticism for his lack of ability to play forward rather than sideways and back.

However, this stat proves that Rice can and does actually play attack-minded football when he needs to, which is why he has become such a vital player for West Ham.

On top of his defensive qualities, if Rice was to add more goals and assists to his game then many more would rave about his footballing talents. Even though it’s difficult to be more attacking in a defensive midfield role, Rice is proving doubters wrong and becoming a better versatile player.

Just by looking at his stats already this season you can tell he is trying to add more to his game. Two assists and two goals in all competitions for club and country already put him on the same amount of goal contributions as last season.

It is obvious to West Ham supporters that Rice is becoming one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, but now it is becoming more apparent to neutral fans, as well.