Alan Shearer names West Ham United captain Declan Rice in Premier League team of the week
Alan Shearer has named West Ham captain Declan Rice in his Premier League team of the week after they fought back to earn a draw against Arsenal.
The Hammers found themselves 2-0 down inside the opening ten minutes, but fought back to earn a 2-2 draw thanks to goals from Said Benrahma and Jarrod Bowen.
But it was Rice who who won the ball back moments before Lucas Paqueta was fouled for the penalty and he turned in a fantastic performance despite the team’s recent struggles and earned praise from the league’s all-time top scorer.
“When West Ham were 2-0 down to Arsenal and in need of inspiration, he provided it as the Hammers fought back against the leaders,” he wrote on the official Premier League website (18 April).
Legend
No matter what happens this season with West Ham, it seems inevitable that Rice will be leaving the club in the summer.
But when he does go, he’ll be leaving with all the love and affection of the West Ham fans and can walk out of the door as a legend of the club.
He’s given absolutely everything for the team whenever he has stepped on to the pitch, and the performance against Arsenal was just another episode of the Rice show when it comes to showing he’s far too good to be in a relegation battle.
He was aggressive yet didn’t commit a single foul in the game, positive with his passing and a real leader to the rest of his teammates to drag them up from the brink of defeat to earn what will have felt like a victory.
Rice has had some criticism for not doing that this season, but he’s shutting everyone up right now and is a big reason why there is a four-point gap between the Hammers and the drop zone right now.