Defiant Hammers ace Declan Rice has posted a direct message to West Ham fans after the Europa League last 16 first leg defeat to Sevilla.
For the third game in a row West Ham spurned golden chances to end up on the losing side as they fell to a 1-0 defeat against Sevilla in the first leg.
To West Ham’s credit, though, they dug in and kept themselves in the tie with the second leg at the London Stadium next Thursday night.
Rice was touch and go to make the trip to Seville having been struck down by illness which saw him miss the defeat to Liverpool at the weekend.
The West Ham talisman dragged himself off his sick bed to make the trip, though.
Rice was not at his imperious, rampaging best but still played a vital role in central midfield.
An estimated 10,000 West Ham fans travelled to Spain for the game. The result was disappointing but far from disastrous.
And with everything to play for in the second leg, hope springs eternal that West Ham can make it through to the quarter-finals on a huge night at the London Stadium.
It will be West Ham’s biggest single game since the 2006 FA Cup final.
Defiant Declan Rice posts direct message to West Ham fans after Sevilla defeat
And a defiant Declan Rice posted a direct message to West Ham fans after the Sevilla defeat.
“We will give it absolutely everything at home!” Rice said on Twitter after the game.
“Still all to play for, gutted we didn’t come away with something.
“Our fans were special tonight, thank you for the support!”
Rice will be keen for some revenge on Sevilla after growing visibly agitated by the Spanish side’s time wasting after they went 1-0 up.
One particular Rice flashpoint saw the West Ham midfield star take matters into his own hands, quite literally, by picking reported Hammers striker target Youssef En-Nesyri up off the deck as he rolled around trying to run the clock down.
Let’s hope Rice bottles that frustration and unleashes it on Sevilla at the London Stadium next week.
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