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Fans online have been left singing the praises of West Ham United captain Declan Rice after he showed his class when interacting with a young fan.

Why is Declan Rice getting plaudits?

It was a great outing for the England international on Sunday evening as he led his team to a Premier League win over rivals Manchester United.

In the end, it was a howler from goalkeeper David De Gea that allowed Said Benrahma to score the only goal of the game as the Hammers picked up a 1-0 victory.

The three points mean that West Ham are almost certainly set to avoid relegation at the end of the season and Rice played his part in the victory.

He was named the “star man” by Jonty Coleman in his football.london player ratings for his 8/10 display. The journalist wrote: “For however much West Ham get for Rice when he eventually leaves, he will be worth every penny, and probably many, many more.

“Showed he was the Premier League’s highest interception winner by winning several against a Man United side chasing Champions League football.

“Created chances with his quick feet and clever running and mopped up all sorts in the middle of the pitch. Probably deserved an assist for his second-half crosses, an outstanding display.”

What’s more, as per Squawka, Rice is the only player in Europe’s top five leagues with 30+ interceptions, 51 clearances, take-ons completed, aerial duels won, chances created, and shots this season while he’s also won possession more times than any other player (322).

With that in mind, it’s little wonder clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Liverpool are all monitoring the £60k-per-week midfielder.

But after footage emerged with the 24-year-old speaking to one starstruck fan at the London Stadium, love for the player seems to have gone up even higher.

As the video shows, Rice can be seen comforting the young supporter who seems a little overwhelmed after meeting one of his heroes. The Englishman then calms the child and gives him his shirt.

It’s a very wholesome exchange and people online really appreciated the kindness. Here are some of the best Twitter reactions…

And the praise kept coming…

Hampshire and England batsman Michael Carberry is to undergo tests this week amid concerns over the condition that six years ago caused potentially life-threatening blood clots to form in one of his lungs

Jon Culley10-Jul-2016Hampshire and England batsman Michael Carberry is to undergo tests this week amid concerns over the condition that six years ago caused potentially life-threatening blood clots to form in one of his lungs.Carberry had felt unwell last week and has been left out of Hampshire’s current County Championship match against Warwickshire so that he can see a specialist as promptly as possible, with his county unwilling to take any chances with his health.”He has had a problem that has not cleared up in the way we had hoped so his going to have some tests done,” the Hampshire first-team coach Dale Benkenstein said.”We are hoping to have him back for the T20 matches later in the week but in view of what has happened to him in the past we do not want to take any risks with him.”It is a little bit worrying but hopefully the tests will show that everything is fine.”Carberry has to take medication to control the condition, which emerged after he had suffered attacks of breathlessness while fielding and batting. He was diagnosed with two blood clots on a lung in November 2010 and did not play again until July of the following year.

Arsene Wenger left a massive legacy at Arsenal upon his departure at the end of the 2017/18 campaign and looking back, it was similar to when Sir Alex Ferguson retired as Manchester United manager, with whoever came in next having an almost impossible task.

Unai Emery was the man tasked with the responsibility to continue the wonderful work done by Wenger over the previous 20 years, however, he made a few woeful signings and couldn’t quite adjust to the Premier League, despite enjoying success at Paris Saint-Germain.

The likes of Lucas Torreira, Bernd Leno and Nicolas Pepe were brought in during his first year in charge as he splashed the cash in the transfer market, yet it was all to no avail as the club failed to win anything during his 18-month tenure.

He also lured defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos to the club from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2018, and although he had impressed in Germany, playing nearly 200 times for the Bundesliga club, he couldn’t replicate this in England.

How much did Sokratis Papastathopoulos cost Arsenal?

The Greek centre-back did enjoy a solid debut campaign at the Gunners after his £17.7m move from Germany, playing in 40 matches across all competitions as the north Londoners reached the Europa League final, although they lost to Chelsea.

His second season wasn’t quite as consistent, having a drop-off in performance to play only 29 matches, and he clearly wasn’t the same once Emery was sacked in December 2019. Indeed, journalist James Benge remarked of one "woeful" error which rather summed up his time in the capital.

Mikel Arteta took charge, and it was evident that the former Dortmund defender wasn’t part of his future plans, making only 11 appearances during the remainder of 2019/20 once the Spaniard took over.

He did come off the bench in the FA Cup final during their win against Chelsea in 2020 and claimed a medal, but his time at the club appeared to be coming to an end.

Sokratis failed to even make one senior appearance during the first half of the following term before leaving on a free transfer in January 2021 to join Olympiacos.

During his 133-week spell in London, he rinsed the club for a grand total of £30.7m, combining his transfer fee plus the £13m he earned in wages across his contract, which was £100k-per-week.

This represented a colossal waste of money for Stan Kroenke and co, especially as he failed to contribute during his final 18 months at the club.

Hopefully moves like this will become less common under Arteta over the coming years.

Fresh from their weekend win at St James' Park, Newcastle United continue their push for Champions League qualification by taking on relegation strugglers West Ham United later today, with Eddie Howe's men having the chance to strengthen their place in the top four.

Sunday's 2-0 triumph over rivals Manchester United has moved the Magpies into third with just over ten Premier League games left to play, with the hope being that the northeast side can maintain this momentum over the coming weeks.

If the Tynesiders are to remain at their rampant best, however, Howe may need to make notable alterations and tweaks amid this hectic fixture schedule, with the depths of the Englishman's squad likely to be well and truly tested.

With Miguel Almiron currently sidelined with injury and with Ryan Fraser having been banished to the U21s, it does appear that options are rather limited on the flanks, in particular, with rotation likely required to avoid further injury setbacks moving forward.

One man who will likely be chomping at the bit to start this evening is January arrival, Anthony Gordon, with the £45m man having returned off the bench against the Red Devils, following a brief spell out with an ankle issue.

With the former Everton sensation having produced a lively cameo after entering the fray in the closing stages – having enjoyed 'some dangerous moments' according to the Chronicle's Lee Ryder – the 22-year-old may well have justified a starting berth for the trip to the London Stadium.

Will Gordon play against West Ham?

With Allan Saint-Maximin looking "back to his best" against Erik ten Hag's men – as per Northern Echo's Scott Wilson – it is likely that it would have to be Jacob Murphy who makes way for Gordon on the right wing, despite the 28-year-old having "impressed" in flashes at the weekend, according to journalist Dominic Scurr.

Hailed as "outstanding" by his manager following the win last time out, Murphy did offer a relentless presence down the flank after contributing three key passes on the day, albeit while winning just one of his five total duels in that 68-minute outing.

The former Norwich City man was hardly given a glowing endorsement for his performance by the aforementioned Ryder, who stated that the winger 'gave it his best shot', while the Independent's Jamie Braidwood wrote that the Englishman was 'quite limited in his final product'.

That has been a theme throughout Murphy's time at the club as he has just six goals and ten assists to his name in 140 appearances across all fronts, having rarely been able to offer that killer pass or clinical finish when it matters most.

As such, it could be time for young Gordon to be unleashed this time around, with the "fearless" ace – as per club legend Alan Shearer – having offered his side 'more energy' after his introduction on Sunday, according to Braidwood.

The Liverpool-born menace certainly made his mark in that 22-minute appearance as he won four of his five ground duels as a marker of his tenacious nature in attack, with it easy to see why the £10k-per-week man ranks in the top 4% among his European peers for tackles made.

Equally, while Murphy has just one league goal to his name this season, Gordon scored three times in the first half of the campaign for the Toffees, showcasing that a run in the side could see him begin to replicate that form in his new home.

Having invested heavily in plucking the player from Goodison Park just a few months ago, Howe needs to begin to put faith in dynamic forward and give him a chance to shine from the start, even if it comes at Murphy's expense.

Journalist Miles Starforth has claimed that Newcastle United are closing in on securing a big-money front-of-shirt sponsorship.

The Lowdown: Starting to make moves off the pitch

The moves that PIF have made since taking over at Newcastle have been largely positive on the pitch by getting the club challenging for the Champions League spots when they were battling against relegation just last season.

However, it’s off the pitch where they have struggled to close the gap on the traditional top six, as their deal with front-of-shirt sponsor FUN88 is one of the lowest in terms of income in the entire Premier League.

That is one of the biggest reasons why Eddie Howe and Newcastle have made clear how they will refuse to leave themselves hamstrung in the coming window by Financial Fair Play regulations, as they simply aren’t getting enough money pumped into the club.

The Latest: PIF to land Newcastle major sponsorship deal

However, while speaking on the Loaded Mag YouTube channel, Starforth has hinted at a sponsorship deal being worked on behind the scenes as Newcastle look to cut their ties with FUN88.

He said: “I’ll be honest, I don’t know the identity of the sponsor as yet. I’ve spoken to someone – actually, one or two people – about this. Some months ago I was told it was going to be a very big deal in the pipeline – whether that’s Saudi or Riyadh Air, I don’t know.

“It’s going to be a step change in terms of the revenue coming into the club, I do know that. It’s obviously positive news the FUN88 deal’s coming to an end, they’re going to have a new front-of-shirt sponsor.

“As to when it will be announced, I don’t think it’ll be announced for some time yet.”

The Verdict: Newcastle to start competing on and off the pitch

It will be huge if Newcastle can land a bumper sponsorship deal as it will take the strain off of PIF to pump money into the club, and if they can generate more income, it will only result in more money being available for transfers.

While performances and signings on the pitch are what fans care about the most, it’s important that PIF create a sustained cash flow so that the club can be as close to being self-sustainable as possible in the near future and not have to rely on its wealthy owners.

This is because in the event PIF get bored of owning the Magpies, Newcastle should be able to keep competing at the very top level without their mega-rich owners if they’ve struck up huge money sponsorship deals.

Sky Sports presenter Dharmesh Sheth has revealed that Chelsea’s large squad is causing a problem for Graham Potter as training sessions are now too crowded.

What’s going on with Potter at Chelsea?

The Englishman is under heavy pressure after a disastrous run of form, which has seen them win just three of their last 16 matches in all competitions.

Chelsea recorded a 1-0 victory over Leeds, in a match that Potter could not afford to lose, but despite heavy spending in the last two transfer windows, the club look set to miss out on a Champions League spot.

The club recruited 16 new players in the last two windows, and the squad is so large that a number of senior players including Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could not be registered for the Champions League matches.

Speaking on Sky Sports News, Sheth revealed that Potter would like to set up 11 vs 11 games in training, but cannot due to the size of the squad.

“I know it’s sometimes very difficult to have sympathy for a club that spent nearly £600m pounds in two transfer windows, but I think there is a little bit of sympathy towards Graham Potter, simply because nearly half of that money was spent when he wasn’t even the manager,” he stated.

“How many of those players would he have actually signed, had he been in situ at Stamford Bridge at the start of the summer?

“People say ‘he’s got some great players there,’ yes, he has, but he’s going to be working and wanting to work in a particular way. I’ve heard stories that he wants to do 11 v 11 in training, but he can’t do that because there’s like 11 V 11 V 11. V 11. How is he supposed to?

“It’s so difficult to have sympathy for a club that spent that much money but I think you don’t have to go too far to have a bit of sympathy for Graham Potter in this situation.”

Is Potter entirely to blame?

Potter has received a lot of criticism for Chelsea’s run of form, but he has landed in a difficult situation to manage.

He joined the club during the first half of the season after Thomas Tuchel was dismissed, taking over a squad that had already been through a lot of changes, before a crazy January window in which eight players were recruited, whilst outgoings were minimal.

Hakim Ziyech, for example, saw a loan move to PSG collapse, meaning the Moroccan was forced to remain at Chelsea despite wanting to leave for game time. Having so many players in one squad makes man-management more difficult, as players will have less opportunities for minutes.

Whilst he does deserve a lot of the criticism, any manager coming into the same situation will have faced the same issues given the club’s squad building tactics under owner Todd Boehly.

Unai Emery’s Aston Villa side return to action in the Premier League in the lunchtime kick-off today as they attempt to avoid three straight defeats.

After losing to Leicester and Manchester City in their last two outings, the Villans host Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, who will go top for a few hours at least if they avoid defeat in the Midlands today.

Both teams were beaten 3-1 by Pep Guardiola’s men in their respective last matches in the top flight, and Emery will surely be hoping for a strong response from his players against an Arsenal team who have stuttered of late.

The Spanish head coach may alter his starting XI in an attempt to rejuvenate his team for this clash against his former club, and one player who should be unleashed from the start is Philippe Coutinho.

Will Philippe Coutinho start against Arsenal?

After his impressive cameo off the bench last time out, the £125k-p/w attacking midfielder must be named in the Villa starting XI to take on Arsenal this afternoon.

Against Manchester City, the 30-year-old came on as a substitute and recorded a Sofascore rating of 7.4 by completing two dribbles and winning four of his six individual duels, whilst also registering one shot on target.

Emi Buendia, who started that match, lost 100% of his battles and failed to produce a single shot in his 60 minutes on the pitch (as per Sofascore), and the Argentine gem should now be replaced by his Brazilian team-mate, who could get the best out of Ollie Watkins.

The Villa centre-forward has scored three goals in his last three appearances and has racked up four goals and one assist in seven league matches since the World Cup break.

Coutinho, who ex-Liverpool player Phil Thompson dubbed a “creative genius”, has not scored or set up a single goal in the Premier League this season in six starts, but his flash of quality against City suggests that the spark which he showed last term could be coming back to him.

At his best, the wizard has the quality to put opportunities on a plate for Watkins to continue his excellent streak in front of goal, and the pair could make for an exciting duo against the Gunners.

In 2021/22, the Brazil international averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.09 across 19 appearances and chipped in with five goals and three assists from midfield, whilst creating five ‘big chances’ and providing 1.3 key passes per game for his team-mates.

The ex-Barcelona gem, whose touch was once described as “magical” by journalist John Townley, has 184 career goals and assists combined at club level, along with 21 goals for his country, and is vastly experienced at being a difference-maker at the top level.

Emery must now unleash Coutinho alongside Watkins from the start against Arsenal today and hope that the Champions League winner can provide some moments of magic to tee up the England international to continue his hot streak.

A big update has emerged on Sunderland and their squad ahead of their clash with Reading in the Championship this afternoon…

What’s the latest on Isaac Lihadji?

Black Cats boss Tony Mowbray has confirmed that the French winger is set to be in the squad for the first time since arriving from French giants Lille last month.

The Chronicle’s James Hunter tweeted:

“Mowbray: Lihadji is available for the first time this weekend. Doesn’t yet speak any English. Thinks he’s likely to be used as an impact sub in the short-term. #safc.”

He is yet to make his debut for Sunderland after being ineligible to play against Fulham in the FA Cup in midweek due to not being registered for the initial fixture against the Premier League side.

It’s an exciting boost for Mowbray

The French winger’s availability for today’s clash with the Royals is an exciting boost for the Sunderland boss as the young gem has the potential to be a superb player for the club.

Whilst the gem is unlikely to be in a position to start in the immediate future, due to the language barrier, the 20-year-old could be an excellent option off the bench and someone who could come on as a game-changer for the Black Cats.

Lihadji, who talent scout Jacek Kulig once dubbed “explosive”, showcased his quality in Ligue 1 for Lille last season as he produced one goal and four assists in 13 appearances – starting two of those matches.

The dynamo played 227 minutes of action, which works out at roughly two-and-a-half full games, and was directly involved in five goals, whilst creating 13 chances for his teammates – roughly five per 90 minutes.

These statistics, albeit from a small sample size, show that the youngster is capable of providing quality as a substitute and does not need to start games in order to make a significant impact at the top end of the pitch.

No Sunderland player has provided more than 1.9 key passes per match in the Championship this season and this suggests that Lihadji has the potential to be an upgrade on Mowbray’s current creative outlets in midfield and out wide.

Therefore, having the Frenchman available for selection as a substitute is an exciting boost for the Black Cats head coach as the gem could improve the side whilst also being an option who has proven his ability to be a match-winner, or difference-maker, off the bench at a higher level.

West Ham midfielder Declan Rice remains a summer target for Chelsea and a host of top Premier League clubs, according to a new transfer report.

The Lowdown: Chelsea eyeing midfielders

The England international’s future has been a major talking point of late, with a summer exit from the Hammers looking almost certain after he rejected a long-term deal.

Chelsea have long been seen as one of the contenders to snap up Rice at the end of the season, as Graham Potter looks to make huge changes to his midfield, currently pursuing a deal for Enzo Fernandez.

Fabrizio Romano reported on Monday that the Blues are locked in negotiations with Benfica over a deal for the Argentine World Cup winner, but it looks like they are still keeping a few eggs in the Rice basket as well.

The Latest: Blues battling PL rivals

According to Football Insider, the Blues are still ‘keeping close tabs’ on Rice, with the Englishman rejecting a number of new contract offers from West Ham.

Fellow Premier League heavyweights Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United are all mentioned in the same breath, though, so it will be a fierce battle to sign him.

The Verdict: An Enzo alternative?

Rice is exactly what Chelsea could do with this summer, with the Hammers favourite a huge influence both on and off the ball, averaging a 94.3% pass completion rate and 2.2 interceptions per match at the 2022 World Cup.

The fact that he was a boyhood Blues supporter could certainly work in the club’s favour, should nostalgia take over, as well as reuniting with great friend Mason Mount.

The £60,000-a-week-earning Rice has been described as ‘magnificent’ by Gary Lineker and he is someone who could be a dominant mainstay of Chelsea’s midfield for around a decade, so he is certainly a viable target for the summer if the Fernandez deal falls through.

Aston Villa are interested in a deal for Olympique Lyonnais’ Moussa Dembele following the recent departure of talisman Danny Ings, and he has now been deemed a perfect fit to adopt the mantle…

What’s the word?

With Ings completing a £15m deal with West Ham United last week, the talismanic position at Aston Villa indeed feels somewhat lacking, and while 19-year-old Jhon Duran has been signed from Chicago Fire for £18m, a more established name is desired to lead the line over the latter period of the Premier League season, with Dembele, valued at a bargain €10m (£9m), firmly in contention.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Dean Jones remarked that he believes the English Midlands is the likely destination for the French forward, who has fallen out of favour with his Ligue 1 outfit and is thus searching for pastures new.

Jones said: “It’s a really interesting option. He’s one of the names that we floated at the start of the window as an option for somebody when they were desperate for a striking situation to be resolved.

“I think if you’re looking for somebody to replace Ings now in that frontline, Moussa Dembele would certainly be capable of that.”

The news comes amid high transfer activity at Villa after claims emerged that the club saw a shock £45m bid for Nico Williams rejected by the player, despite the Midlands outfit matching his release clause.

Villa Park rocking

Considering the recent upturn in form and performance at Villa following the dismissal of Steven Gerrard in the managerial position, the Villan hierarchy would be prudent to grant Emery his wishes on the transfer front, with the recent Premier League form an indication of the riches that might come across the coming seasons with the Spaniard at the wheel.

And with the 26-year-old Dembele now within the final six months of his contract with Lyon, a cut-price fee could be agreed to ensure Villa steer ahead of rival interest and provide a catalyst for success for the remainder of the campaign.

He may well be the perfect player to help Emery forget about the club’s failed pursuit of Williams too, with the Frenchman having scored 60 goals and provided 19 assists from 160 appearances for his current side.

The former Celtic and Fulham gem has emerged as one of the division’s most menacing offensive focal points over past seasons, but has only scored twice this term from 14 appearances, starting only six times.

Despite his recent issues in earning a regular starting berth in Laurent Blanc’s outfit, the £52k-per-week gem still ranks among the top 6% of forwards across Europe’s big five leagues for rate of non-penalty goals, and the top 12% for total shots, as per FBref, which illustrates the sharpshooting prowess that he would harness to lead the line.

Comparatively, Ings ranks only among the top 42% of positional peers for rate of non-penalty goals, which bodes well when considering the impact on proficiency in front of the net for the outfit with Dembele’s prospective inclusion.

Aston Villa will indeed require someone of the “unplayable” Dembele’s ilk – as once lauded by former teammate Leigh Griffiths – to ensure the cutting edge in front of goal is not unkeen, and while Duran has been acquired from the MLS, an established centre-forward could indeed get Villa Park rocking again, with the birth of a new centre-forward capable of hitting the net with great regularity simply a must.