Declan Rice received a mixed response from the West Ham United fans on Wednesday night, making his return to his former club.

LONDON, ENGLAND: Declan Rice of Arsenal applauds fans following their side's defeat in the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between West Ham United and Arsenal at London Stadium on November 01, 2023. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND: Declan Rice of Arsenal applauds fans following their side’s defeat in the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between West Ham United and Arsenal at London Stadium on November 01, 2023. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)

Declan Rice made a high-profile move from West Ham United to Arsenal over the summer, and Wednesday was his first opportunity to go back and play against his old side.

Ahead of the game, both David Moyes and Mikel Arteta had suggested – perhaps slightly optimistically – that they were expecting a warm response from the home fans.

“He should be welcomed back with open arms,” Moyes said. “We’re all looking forward to seeing him again. He was a brilliant member of the team. He led the team brilliantly well.

“He conducted himself impeccably as a West Ham captain and as a player.

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“You’ve got to remember this is the man who lifted this club’s first European trophy in more than 50 years.”

Arteta added: “It will be his first time back there at his old club, and a beautiful moment I think for him.

“I think it’s beautiful. I had experience to do it a few times (facing a former club) and then you really see what they think of you and what you left at the club.”

Arsenal's Declan Rice (R) comes on as a substitute during the English League Cup fourth-round football match between West Ham United and Arsenal at The London Stadium, in east London, on November 1, 2023. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal’s Declan Rice (R) comes on as a substitute during the English League Cup fourth-round football match between West Ham United and Arsenal at The London Stadium, in east London, on November 1, 2023. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images)

But things didn’t quite go as planned, and not just because of Arsenal’s performance on the pitch.

For a start, Rice wasn’t actually named in the Arsenal team, initially taking up a spot on the bench.

The announcement of Rice’s name received a mixed response from the Hammers fans pre-game, and that was repeated when he went down the touchline to warm up. There were initially a lot of boos, followed by some applause as he clapped the home end.

When the midfielder came on, it was the same story, with very audible boos but a decent section of the stadium clapping.

LONDON, ENGLAND: Declan Rice of Arsenal applauds fans while warming up during the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between West Ham United and Arsenal at London Stadium on November 01, 2023. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND: Declan Rice of Arsenal applauds fans while warming up during the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between West Ham United and Arsenal at London Stadium on November 01, 2023. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)

After the game, Arteta and Moyes responded to questions on Rice’s mixed welcome and the boos.

“No (I wasn’t surprised or disappointed). It’s not for me to judge that,” Arteta said.

“I think everybody’s entitled to their form of opinion,” Moyes added.

“There isn’t a person in this stadium today who doesn’t recognise Declan Rice as a top football player. But there was a lot of West Ham supporters in there tonight who probably hoped that he didn’t do so well and their team won.

“So from that point of view, I think that you’re always going to get mixed feelings and different opinions.”

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