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On his final weekend as a young person, Declan Rice scored the primary senior objective of his profession.
The ball was bobbling across the field earlier than Samir Nasri acquired it underneath management, rolling it again for Rice to lash into the highest nook. From a former Arsenal participant to a future one, it was becoming that Rice’s emphatic strike proved to be the one objective of the sport in a victory for West Ham towards the Gunners in January 2019.
Manuel Pellegrini, West Ham’s supervisor on the time, was already lauding Rice as a “full participant”. 4 and a half years later, Arsenal have secured the midfielder’s companies for a British-record £105m switch price.
For the primary time since his days in Chelsea’s academy a decade in the past, Rice shall be lining up towards West Ham within the coming season. Here is when the previous Hammers captain will go toe to toe together with his previous teammates.
26 December 2023 – Arsenal v West Ham (Premier League)
Until Arsenal get drawn towards West Ham within the opening rounds of the Carabao Cup, Rice must wait till Boxing Day to face his previous employers.
Rice was carrying the West Ham armband when David Moyes’ facet travelled to the Emirates on Boxing Day 2022. Mentioned Benrahma put the guests in entrance from the spot within the opening half-hour however a flurry of targets from Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah earned the Gunners an emphatic 3-1 win.
In Arsenal’s first recreation after the World Cup and the primary of Gabriel Jesus’ damage layoff, it served as a defiant victory within the membership’s title tilt.
The reverse fixture towards Rice and West Ham proved to be the start of the top of Arsenal’s bid because the Gunners ceded a two-goal lead to attract. By the way, it was a sort out from Rice excessive in Arsenal’s half that kick-started West Ham’s comeback.
10 February 2024 – West Ham v Arsenal (Premier League)
Rice will enter the London Stadium as an opposition Premier League participant for the primary time in his profession in the beginning of February. West Ham have not performed a top-flight match at dwelling with out Rice concerned since Might 2021 – Everton, coached by Carlo Ancelotti on the time, gained 1-0.
Will probably be Rice’s one centesimal Premier League look on the London Stadium – Aaron Cresswell is the one different participant to crack triple digits because the former Olympic venue was taken over by West Ham in 2016.
READ MORE ABOUT THE DECLAN RICE TO ARSENAL TRANSFER SAGA
By lifting the Europa Convention League in Eindhoven in the beginning of June, Rice joined the unique checklist of West Ham captains to have gained a trophy with the membership. Billy Bonds, Bobby Moore and – technically – Steve Lomas.
The latter was carrying the armband when West Ham gained the 1999 Intertoto Cup – but, that honour was considerably diluted as each Juventus and Montpellier can even lay declare to that 12 months’s award.
There have been no caveats concerning West Ham’s European success underneath Rice final season. The Hammers gained 12 of their 13 matches, snatching the membership’s first main European title in 58 years with Jarrod Bowen’s Ninetieth-minute winner towards Fiorentina within the ultimate.
Whereas Rice’s ultimate season at West Ham was domestically dominated by a relegation battle – which the membership comfortably gained – the England worldwide was a staple of the group that recorded consecutive league finishes inside the highest seven for the primary time within the membership’s historical past.
Throughout West Ham’s complete top-flight historical past stretching again 100 years, Rice has performed in 17% of the membership’s top-half league finishes.
After he was tossed out of Chelsea’s academy as a 14-year-old and battled his manner into West Ham’s set-up, Rice’s unbridled enthusiasm on the pitch – as a lot because the success which his expertise impressed – cemented his standing as a fan favorite.
Rice’s former teammate and mentor Mark Noble promised: “Dec will all the time be hailed at West Ham as a unbelievable participant and such a prime, prime particular person. However I don’t suppose anybody begrudges him desirous to go and win issues.” That principle shall be put the check when Rice goes up towards West Ham within the coming season.
LISTEN NOW
On this version of The Chronicles of a Gooner, a part of the 90min podcast community, Harry Symeou reacts to the most recent information concerning Declan Rice to Arsenal and evaluate the Kai Havertz announcement.
If you cannot see this embed, click on right here to take heed to the podcast!
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