Arsenal fans’ sarcastic Declan Rice chant comes back to haunt them as West Ham rip Gunners to shreds in Carabao Cup
ARSENAL fans were left to rue their sarcastic Declan Rice chant as West Ham tore them apart in the Carabao Cup.
Rice, 24, was making his first return to the London Stadium since his £105million summer transfer to the Emirates in the summer.
Declan Rice’s West Ham return to did not go to plan for ArsenalRichard Pelham / The Sun
AlamyWest Ham fans mocked Rice as they beat Arsenal 3-1[/caption]
AlamyRice came on as a 57th minute sub but could do nothing to help the Gunners win the game[/caption]
Early in the game, Gunners fans were heard chanting: “Declan Rice, he left cos you’re s***.”
However, before long this came back to bite the visitors.
Ben White‘s headed own goal after 16 minutes kick started a disappointing night for Mikel Arteta‘s side.
Mohammed Kudus‘ deft touch from a raking long-field pass gave him a yard of space in the penalty box before he placed home the Irons second.
Rice came on off the bench in the 57th minute to try and force the game in his new team’s favour.
But just three minutes later Jarrod Bowen scored a brilliant third with the help of a deflection.
Martin Odegaard‘s 97th-minute strike proved to be nothing more than a consolation for the North Londonders.
West Ham fans responded to the earlier Arsenal taunts with a Rice-themed song of their own.
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They could be heard chanting: “Are you watching Declan Rice?”
West Ham boss David Moyes had asked the home crowd to not boo their former star man.
But many the fans ignored this plea by jeering when he entered the field of play.
Though there was also some applause from the home support.
Rice played 245 games for West Ham and went on to become the club’s captain, lifting the Europa Conference League in his final game with them last season.
But Arsenal will be able to try and get some payback when they host West Ham on December 28.
The reverse fixture is then pencilled in for the weekend of February 10.
West Ham were drawn against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals tonight.
The clash is scheduled to take place on the week beginning December 18.
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