Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was quizzed about West Ham United fans booing Declan Rice during the game at the London Stadium last night.
The Gunners were totally outclassed by David Moyes‘ men. It was an awful performance by the North Londoners, and even bringing on Rice, who is one of their best players, made no difference.
Mikel Arteta reacts to West Ham fans booing Arsenal’s Declan Rice
Arsenal signed Declan Rice from West Ham United in the summer for a club-record £105 million (The Athletic).
The Englishman was the Hammers’ captain last season. He was always adored by West Ham fans and even cemented himself as a hero at the club after lifting the Conference League title.
In the summer, Rice decided he wanted to move to a bigger club. A number of sides were interested in his services, but he chose Arsenal in the end.
That decision rubbed a number of West Ham fans the wrong way, and it looks like those supporters are yet to forgive the 24-year-old England midfielder.
In Rice’s first game back at the London Stadium last night, the Arsenal man was on the receiving end of boos from many of the West Ham fans – Jason Cundy figured this would happen and labelled those people an ‘absolute disgrace‘ a day before the game.
Mikel Arteta was asked after the defeat if he was surprised or disappointed by the reaction of the home supporters last night.
He replied, as per Arsenal.com: “No and it’s not for me to judge that.”
Not a happy return to West Ham for Rice
It was not all boos for Declan Rice last night; a number of West Ham fans got on their feet to applaud him when he was warming up in the first half.
That, however, is inconsequential for Rice and Arsenal fans because of the result.
The Gunners were really poor yesterday. They barely did anything right in the whole game, and West Ham completely deserved the win.
Rice would’ve dreamt of a different ending to his return to the London Stadium. Now, he will have to wait until February to go back there and right last night’s wrong.