West Ham fans are being inundated with messages from Arsenal supporting friends after what Delcan Rice did in the Champions League.
It was little over a month ago that Declan Rice suffered the humiliation of being hauled off by Mikel Arteta after just 53 minutes of Arsenal’s defeat at home to his former club West Ham.
Rice was seen fuming and was slammed by some Gunners after the game, as he has been several times this season.
West Ham’s result was the death knell for Arsenal’s title challenge for a third season running.
There is something about Rice when he plays against the Hammers and it has not gone unnoticed by many Gunners fans.
Rice’s post West Ham trophy tribulations with Arsenal
Following his £105m move from east to north London, Rice has always showed class towards West Ham.
Both in his words and actions – the latest example being the fact Rice gave young Hammers star Ollie Scarles his shirt with a personal message on it despite suffering that Premier League title-ending defeat.
Rice has often made it abundantly clear he will always love West Ham.
But after turning down Man City and declaring he wanted to join Arsenal to win and compete for the top trophies in football, he has burned bridges with some Hammers fans who used to adore him.
There is no lack of irony in the fact Rice’s last – and only – major honour was when he helped the Hammers to their Europa Conference League triumph.
Rice is yet to win a major trophy with the north Londoners.
But he was doing his best to change that this week.
The Hammers Academy graduate scored not one but two world class free-kicks in Arsenal’s stunning 3-0 win over Real Madrid in their Champions League quarter-final first leg clash at The Emirates.
Rice received the man of the match award for his heroics.
Rice declares what meant more – Arsenal’s magical night or West Ham’s trophy triumph
The midfielder’s performance is being hailed by one and all.
Including West Ham fans, who have been proudly reminding their Arsenal counterparts their club helped make their hero the player he is.
Rice has always stated West Ham’s European triumph – after that unforgettable 2-1 victory over Fiorentina less than two years ago – is the greatest night of his career to date.
So is that still the case?
Rice has declared what meant more – Arsenal’s magical night or West Ham’s trophy triumph.
Logic would say captaining the club that made you, to their first trophy in over four decades, could only be topped by lifting an even more prestigious title with the Gunners.
But speaking to Micah Richards and Thierry Henry on CBS after the first leg win in the last eight, Rice has defied that logic.
West Ham fans won’t like what they hear and Arsenal supporters will have yet more ammunition.
Because Rice has declared Arsenal’s Champions League quarter-final first leg win over Real Madrid tops winning the trophy with West Ham.
The ex Hammers skipper volunteered to Richards and Henry that it was without doubt ‘the best night of his career’.
Rice says West Ham triumph has now been topped with Gunners
“I can’t describe it honestly, I don’t think it’s going to hit me what I’ve done tonight,” Rice said on CBS.
“Two free-kicks in a quarter-final at home against Real Madrid is special.
“I’m so happy.
“Probably the best moment in my career for sure.”
That will be like a dagger to the heart for West Ham fans. Or perhaps in the back.
If that’s how Rice feels then at least he is honest enough to say it.
Yes he got the goals and it was Real Madrid. But it will sting Hammers supporters that their former captain, who they adored so much, sees a quarter-final first leg win as the best night of his career over actually lifting a trophy he knows means so much to West Ham.
After such a bold statement, Rice had better hope he and Arsenal go and finish the job now.
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