Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has admitted that West Ham midfielder Declan Rice could cause his side problems on Monday night.
The 20-year-old has enjoyed a meteoric rise this season, and the Blues’ boss was quick to single him out as a potential thorn in his team’s side.
As quoted in the Daily Star, he said: “Rice is a very good player. Very good defensively because he is able to recover the ball.
“In our first match against West Ham, he was really a very big problem for us.
“He is improving offensively. I saw their last few matches and I saw a very good midfielder.”
OPINION
Rice is quickly becoming the most important player in this West Ham team. He is capable of breaking down play and restarting attacks with simple, intelligent passes, and while that might not be the most eye-catching role on the field, it can certainly be the most effective. The fact that Sarri has chosen to heap this kind of praise on him shows just how significant he can be, and Monday night will be another huge opportunity to prove himself, this time against his former side. The Blues must be kicking themselves that they let him go as a youth player, and it’s a lapse in judgement that has ultimately cost them one of the best young talents in Europe. That being said, had he stayed put, would Rice have been afforded the chances that he has had at West Ham? Probably not, and if he had stayed at Stamford Bridge, chances are he would have been just another member of Chelsea’s loan army.
