Declan Rice, only 19-years old, delivered an outstanding display after manager Manuel Pellegrini showed faith in the teenager. Starting for the first time since the opening game against Liverpool.

Many rumours were circulating about Rice’s position in the team and his future after the season's opener. 

Making his return in an emphatic way for West Ham United, the boss would be delighted by Rice's impact in his holding-midfield position, supporting the back-four; including the likes of Pablo Zabaleta, Fabian Balbuena, Issa Diop and Arthur Masuaku, moving the ball forward, linking superbly with Mark Noble and Pedro Obiang. 

Declan Rice did not hesitate to praise his teammates, and manager Manuel Pellegrini, when he spoke to the official West Ham United website after their 3-1 win.

“I really, really enjoyed it,” said the number 41. “Obviously the first week against Liverpool was tough for me and I knew in myself that I had to improve. We’d worked on the tactics all week with me in there with Pedro and Nobes and it paid off. It was a really good moment for all of us.''

The Irishman had 83 per cent pass completion, five tackles, eleven ball recoveries, three clearances and one interception for the day's work; many are calling it ‘A complete performance’  the confident teenager states he can be versatile and play in one or more position if the Hammers boss asks him too, the 19-year-old goes on to say:

“It’s good that I can play in two positions, as a centre-back or as a holding midfielder, as I just want to get minutes and get games. Like you saw in the second half, I can take control of a game and start passing it left and right and helping out with the defensive bits with Issa [Diop] and Fab [Balbuena], who I thought were excellent.''

Rice went on further, “I thought it was a collective great team performance today, so hopefully we can keep it going.”

It’s a mark of true champion when they can go outside of themselves and completely praise his team mates, very mature for his age, as many have observed.

Rice very happy for Yarmolenko

Andriy Yarmolenko’s first start for the Hammers also saw his first goals in the Premier League, and Rice applauds his team mates strikes, whilst joking about their advice to the Ukrainian saying,

“I’m happy for Yarmo because we’ve all been telling him to start shooting! He usually wants to walk it into the net, but he shot twice and scored two great goals.”

Marko Arnautovic got his third goal of the campaign, as well as an assist as Rice acknowledges, the excellent team work and ethics of players like Felipe Anderson.

“Obviously we need Arnie in our side as he’s such a great player, but like I said, everyone was excellent – Yarmo, Felipe in his defensive game – and it’s a massive three points for us.”

Inspirational team talk pre-match

Pablo Zabaleta and Mark Noble let a chorus of inspiring pre-match team talk, as the Irishman mention in his after- match interview displaying a dominate performance away from home for the travelling East London fans. 

“That was the thing before the game, we all got together and Zaba and Nobes said ‘Whatever happens today, go out and give 100 per cent because that’s what the fans want and that’s what West Ham are about’.”

Rice went on further to analyse the game, “You could see that in the first half and in the second half, when Everton found it hard to break us down. I thought we were superb. We covered all the ground, made tackles, took some yellow cards and defended well.” 

Before finishing by saying, “The goal we conceded was a bit sloppy but, overall, we were excellent.”

For a 19-year-old Declan Rice displays calm and level- headed maturity. Many have said he will go on to bigger things and has impressed many people who have met the Irishman. Chelsea next Sunday at the London Stadium, another tough test for the teenager but he will be delighted from the manner in which West Ham won. 

Quotes courtesy of West Ham United FC