Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinard has picked Brazilian midfielder Casemiro over Arsenal's Thomas Teye Partey.

There has been comparisons in recent times about who is the best defensive midfielder in the English Premier League between Ghana and Arsenal's Thomas Partey, Man United's Casemiro and Man City's Rodri.

Both players have been integral to their team's rise in the Premier League table with Arsenal leading the pack while Manchester United are third.

The two players faced each other regularly when they both played in Spain for Real Madrid and Arsenal.

Both players were supposed to face each other in the English Premier League clash on Sunday but Casemiro has been ruled out after picking his fifth yellow card of the campaign in United's 1-1 drawn game against Crystal Palace.

Ferdinard acknowledges the relevance of the two players to their teams but picks Casemiro over the Black Stars deputy captain.

“I think the importance to their teams…you could argue both sides quite equally. But then, when you through the stats in Casemiro wipes him away,” the former Manchester United defender said on his podcast, as quoted by the Daily Mail.

“No, no no. I don’t think Partey is good enough defensively to do what Casemiro is doing, I don’t think he has the impact defensively for Man United, on the ball he’s doing more.”

“On the ball, he’s [Partey] doing more. He’s dictating play for Arsenal. He’s actually playing passes I didn’t know he had. His passing has been unbelievable.”

The Gunners have an eight point lead over third placed Manchester United and could widen it with a win at the Emirates Stadium.