Keane's Rice comments immediately justified despite Man Utd's late West Ham win

Manchester United target Declan Rice may have ended up on the losing side on Sunday after West Ham's 2-1 defeat - but the midfield ace still managed to vindicate Roy Keane's pre-match verdict.

Rice has been linked with United on numerous occasions over the past 12 months - and he lived up to his hype with a promising performance for the Hammers.

A deflected effort from Said Benrahma had put West Ham ahead after half an hour, only for Cristiano Ronaldo to stab home an equaliser just five minutes later.

A late stunner from Jesse Lingard, who spent the end of last season on loan with the Hammers, restored United's lead late.

But they still needed a late penalty save from David De Gea to seal the points, with the Spaniard denying Mark Noble in injury time.

Roy Keane gave Manchester United target Declan Rice a glowing endorsement before their clash with West Ham ( Image:

Sky Sports)

United's midfield has come in for fierce criticism in the early weeks of the new Premier League season.

Despite recapturing Ronaldo and sanctioning big money transfers for Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane this summer, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men still look disjointed with Fred and Scott McTominay in midfield.

And despite questioning it previously, Keane was adamant that Rice is now primed to become a headline act for United at the Theatre of Dreams.

"I think he would [improve United's midfield] I think Declan has improved more than any player I've seen over the last one or two seasons," Keane told Sky Sports.

"I know he's been linked with United. If you said to me a year or two again I'd of said no, let him stay a year or two to mature.

"He's 22 and I look to where I was, I think he's way ahead of me when I was 22.

Is Declan Rice the missing link in Man Utd's midfield? Comment below.

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"I think the next step will come to him when he plays a higher level and when I say higher level I mean for Man United, Champions League, competing for trophies.

"He's obviously a regular for England. The big plus for him is that there's a lot more to come from him.

"I think that [cute final passes] will come with playing in bigger games. he's always available, he's a big presence out there and I think it'll be a really big judge for him because I'm not a big fan of the Man United midfield lads; I think they're a bit short."

After producing another sterling performance against United, Rice has vindicated Keane's verdict.

Rice has evolved the attacking element of his game over the past 12 months and was on the scoresheet against Dinamo Zagreb in midweek

The England ace has also shown an extra attacking edge in recent weeks, netting a stunner against Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League last Thursday.

His ability to drive play forward from deep, alongside his defensive capabilities, would add the extra dimension that United's lopsided midfield is so desperately in need of.

Midfield is, without doubt, the final area of Solskjaer's squad in need of an elite update if they are to be successful in their pursuit of a return to domestic dominance.

Rice passed his audition against United with flying colours - and should now be Solskjaer's primary target for next summer after his stunning evolution over the past 12 months.