Arsenal warned as West Ham captain makes Rice admission | OneFootball

Arsenal need a win to stay ahead of Manchester City in the title race, while West Ham are fighting to stay clear of Spurs near the bottom.

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Jarred Bowen has praised Declan Rice as “one of the best midfielders in the world” before West Ham host Arsenal on Sunday in a fixture carrying serious consequences at both ends of the Premier League table.

Arsenal travel to the London Stadium knowing victory would keep them ahead of Manchester City with just two games remaining as they chase a first league title in 22 years.

West Ham, meanwhile, are trying to stay ahead of Spurs in the fight to avoid the final relegation place, giving the meeting an edge far beyond just London rivalry.

Bowen, speaking to West Ham’s official site, made clear that they know the stakes inside the home dressing room. “It’s always a good fixture,” our No20 confirmed.

“We’ve had some really difficult results against them, but then also had some really positive ones in the same breath as well.

“We’re fighting to stay in the league and they’re fighting for a title, so two teams that are fighting in different ways, but a game that’s set up to be a really good game. We’ve been good at home and we have to continue that form.

“There’s going to be pressure on both sides for different reasons but, like I said, certainly since the international break, we have performed well.

“You always have to keep pushing for more, keep pushing for that one extra per cent, and that’s all we know in the situation that we’re in and that’s what is going to be demanded in the game. It’s a big game.

“Like I said, we’ve had some good games over the years, and it’s going to be set up for another good game.”

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Bowen’s comments on Rice were particularly effusive. The pair played together 142 times for West Ham, including the 2023 UEFA Europa Conference League final win in Prague, and have also appeared together 14 times for England.

Their friendship remains close, but Bowen said it will be parked for 90 minutes.

“We had a great time,” Bowen said. “Dec’s a great teammate but, off the pitch, more importantly, he’s a really good friend.

“Everyone was sad to see him go. No-one wants anyone to leave their football club when we achieved so much, but he’s gone on and gone to show his quality and to be spoken about as one of the best midfielders in the world, which I know a lot of West Ham fans were saying about him at the time here and no-one ever believed them.

“But I think, as he’s gone on, people have started to open their eyes and realise how good a player that he is with what he’s gone on to do, scoring big goals and having big games for Arsenal. He’s gone on and stepped up another level again, which says a lot about him as well. He’s always demanding more of himself and is a brilliant, brilliant player.

“He was captain when we lifted a trophy and he’s going to get a good reception because people respect him as a player and as a person, but obviously we don’t wish him well for when we play him because we want to win!”

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Ahead of the game, recent history of this fixture favours Arsenal.

West Ham have lost 38 Premier League games against the Gunners, more than against any side apart from Liverpool, who have beaten them 39 times.

Arsenal have only beaten Everton more often in the competition, with 40 wins.

Arsenal have also won their last two away league matches against West Ham, scoring six in 2023-24 and five last season. A third consecutive away league game with five or more goals against the same opponent would put them alongside West Brom, the only English league side to achieve that feat, against Birmingham between 1957 and 1960.

Arsenal won the reverse fixture 2-0 in October and have completed the Premier League double over West Ham 12 times previously.

Only Manchester United have done so more often against a single opponent, with 16 doubles against Aston Villa and 14 against Everton.

West Ham do bring home form into the game, having gone unbeaten in their last six home Premier League matches, winning three and drawing three.

Their last longer unbeaten home run came between September 2015 and April 2016 in their final season at Upton Park, but Arsenal arrive with the greater prize in sight and with Rice central to their attempt to finish the job.