28 December 2023 , 09:07
520
0
Declan Rice is gearing up for his first league meeting with former side West Ham as an Arsenal player and past comments made by the midfielder have resurfaced as a result.
The England international became the most expensive British player in football history when the Gunners forked out £105million to pry him away from the Hammers. It has since proved to be an inspired decision, with Rice enjoying a sensational start to life at the Emirates and even popping up with multiple last-gasp winners to endear himself to fans further.
Rice has spoken highly of Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta a number of times, publicly explaining how the Spaniard was one of the main reasons he was so keen to join the club. The 24-year-old even heaped praise on the Gunners boss before he'd actually become an Arsenal player.
Boxing Day of 2022 saw Rice take on the Gunners at the Emirates as a West Ham player. Said Benrahma opened the scoring for the Hammers, but three second-half goals in 16 minutes from the hosts ensured it was Arsenal who took all three points.
At the time, the result put Arteta's side at the top of the Premier League. There was real optimism that the Gunners lengthy wait for a league title would finally come to an end and then-Hammer Rice confessed he thought Arsenal were the real deal.
Chelsea complete record-breaking Enzo Fernandez transfer after deadline day rush
Speaking after the game, the midfielder explained: "First half, even though we didn't have much of the ball, we defended really well, stopped them really well and had a plan.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Is Rice the best midfielder in the Premier League? Comment below
Declan Rice was left impressed with the way Arsenal played during his last trip to the Emirates as a West Ham player"But you can't sustain that for 90 minutes especially against a team like Arsenal. In the end, one of their chances will create something, and their free-flowing football managed to get through. We couldn't just get up the pitch [after the equaliser], they smothered us all over the pitch.
"100 per cent [they can win the league]. They're a top team, you can see they are coached incredibly well. They have a lot of attacking talent and a young squad, and they could go the whole way for sure. We tried as hard as we could to stop them, but it's really hard, and in the end we came up short."
The comments on how Arsenal were 'coached incredibly well' were particularly eye-opening and perhaps the first hint that a move to the Emirates was in the offing. Rice has already returned to the London Stadium with the Gunners, during the 3-1 defeat by West Ham in the Carabao Cup last month.
He'll be hoping their first league meeting of the season goes in his favour, as Arsenal aim to return to the top of the table with a victory.