West Ham captain Declan Rice has said recent criticism he has received from pundits including Roy Keane and Graeme Souness has been “harsh”.
West Ham are in a Premier League relegation battle, amid speculation over Rice’s future.
Both Keane and Souness have suggested the England international, 24, lacks key attributes in midfield, namely goal and assist contribution.
“It’s one of those where you take it with a pinch of salt,” Rice said.
Former Manchester United captain Keane said earlier in March that Rice “didn’t start” and that he “needed to do a lot more”.
“He’s said some glowing things about me in the past and sometimes some things I can improve on as well,” Rice said of Keane.
“You try not to let that affect you. I can take criticism very well. If that’s how it is, I can see where I can improve.”
Meanwhile, former Liverpool and Scotland midfielder Souness wrote in the Daily Mail last month that Rice had only one of three attributes – creativity, goalscoring and defending – needed to “be worth his weight. gold” as a midfielder.
Rice said: “It’s tough, I think it’s tough because Souness doesn’t watch West Ham every week.
“There are a lot of West Ham fans, 60,000 go there every week, and look what I do. So I think to say I’m only good at one of three things is tough.
“Souness was a top midfielder, a top player and when someone like him talks sometimes you have to listen and understand where you can improve if that’s true.”
Rice, who could earn his 40th cap in England’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy on Thursday, challenged the Three Lions to win next summer’s tournament after the quarter-final elimination of the World Cup last year.
“It’s up to us now to step up and beat a top nation and win a trophy,” Rice said.
“That’s all we care about and from tomorrow night trying to beat Italy and start our campaign well.”
