Rio Ferdinand reveals Arsenal player Declan Rice is 'raving about' this season

Rio Ferdinand has praised an Arsenal defender as one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League and revealed Declan Rice has privately waxed lyrical about his teammate.

Arsenal have the best defensive record in the Premier League this season, conceding just 24 goals in 29 outings and only four times in this calendar year.

The Gunners held Manchester City to a 0-0 draw at the Etihad on Easter Sunday, becoming the first team in 57 consecutive matches in all competitions to prevent the Premier League champions from scoring at home.

By not conceding on Sunday, Arsenal are also only the third team to keep a clean sheet against City in both of their Premier League meetings since Pep Guardiola arrived at the Etihad in the summer of 2016.

The centre-back partnership of Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba has been key to Arsenal's defensive solidity and Ferdinand revealed Rice was very impressed with the Brazilian.

'When I saw Declan the other day and spoke to him he was waxing lyrical and raving about Gabriel,' the former Manchester United captain said on the latest episode of his Vibe with Five YouTube show.

'I criticised him last season and I stand by that and rightly so. But he seems to have learned, he’s matured.

'He’s one of the most aggressive, but also controlled now and composed centre-halves in the league.'

It is not the first time Rice has been complimentary of Gabriel this season.

Speaking to TNT Sports ahead of Arsenal's 4-1 trouncing of Newcastle in February, the England midfielder singled out the Brazil international as the player who had impressed him the most since his arrival at the Emirates in the summer.

'The one who’s really surprised me is actually Gabriel,' Rice said.

'He’s so aggressive, so strong, really