- Piers Morgan slammed West Ham fans after they booed former captain Rice
- Rice registered two assist and scored a screamer at the London Stadium
- CHRIS SUTTON: Erik ten Hag is still on trial. He needs more than gradual improvement this season to keep his job – It’s All Kicking Off podcast
Piers Morgan has slammed West Ham’s ‘classless’ fans for booing Declan Rice on his return to the London Stadium.
The Arsenal midfielder started away to his former club in the Premier League for the first time since his £105million move to north London.
Unsurprisingly, Rice did not receive a welcome return as he was booed every time he took a touch of the ball.
Morgan wrote on X: ‘So classless of West Ham fans to incessantly boo Declan Rice after all he did for their club.’
Rice was unaffected by the hostility as he registered two assists in the first half before scoring a screamer.
Declan Rice returned to the London Stadium to face West Ham for the first time in the league
![The midfielder went on to register two assists in a dominant first half for the Gunners](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/11/15/81124343-13071261-image-a-16_1707663905121.jpg)
The midfielder went on to register two assists in a dominant first half for the Gunners
![Arsenal fan Piers Morgan has slammed 'classless' West Ham fans for booing Rice](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/11/14/81124141-13071261-image-a-14_1707662755636.jpg)
Arsenal fan Piers Morgan has slammed ‘classless’ West Ham fans for booing Rice
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The England international delivered a deep corner into the back post for William Saliba to head home shortly after the half hour mark.
Rice then delivered a free-kick which Gabriel nodded into the back of the net a minute from the break, with Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard the other goalscorers.
And with his last touch of the ball before being substituted in the second half, Rice scored a brilliant goal from 30 yards out to make it 6-0 and capping off a dominant display.
Morgan took Rice’s exceptional goal to rub it in further to the West Ham fans on X, branding the midfielder ‘classier’ than those who booed him.
‘BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO (laughing face emoji) M!!!! 0-6. Absolute screamer from @_DeclanRice who refused to celebrate because he’s classier than the West Ham fans who booed him. He’s been the buy of the century,’ Morgan tweeted.
The 24-year-old made 245 appearances for West Ham, scoring 15 goals in the process.
![Rice scored an absolute screamer to make it 6-0 to Arsenal in an utterly dominant display](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/11/15/81124777-13071261-image-a-5_1707665748440.jpg)
Rice scored an absolute screamer to make it 6-0 to Arsenal in an utterly dominant display
![The £105m midfielder refused to celebrate against his former side before being subbed off](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/11/15/81124773-13071261-image-a-4_1707665745279.jpg)
The £105m midfielder refused to celebrate against his former side before being subbed off
He also captained them to victory in the Europa Conference League last season, the club’s first silverware in 43 years.
Rice has settled instantly into the Arsenal side, playing 33 times in all competitions this season so far, with three goals and five assists.
The 6-0 win over West Ham has seen Arsenal go two point behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.
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