West Ham United kicked off the 2020-21 English Premier League campaign with a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Newcastle United on Saturday.
The Hammers were poor from start to finish, and the result would have left a bitter taste in the mouth of midfielder and academy graduate Declan Rice.
The youngster was marking his 100th Premier League game for West Ham, and it wouldn’t have been the result he had hoped for to celebrate such an occasion.
Hammers co-owner David Gold has ignored the result, though, choosing to mark Rice’s milestone with this message on Twitter:
I would like to congratulate Declan on his 100th Premier League appearance for West Ham United – a magnificent achievement. I am very proud of him and he epitomises everything that this great football club stands for. pic.twitter.com/Dm0zvFT6il
— David Gold (@davidgold) September 15, 2020
The 21-year-old made his debut against Burnley on the last day of the 2016-17 Premier League season, coming on as a 91st-minute substitute for Edimilson Fernandes in a 2–1 away win.
Rice’s full senior debut came on 19 August 2017 in a 3–2 defeat at Southampton, and he has since grown in leaps and bounds, establishing himself as one of the best in his position in the top-flight and earning nine caps for England.
The West Ham star has been linked with a move to Chelsea this summer, and it remains to be seen if the club will look to cash in on him this summer having done so with Grady Diangana.
