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Hammers fans have known all about Declan Rice and his massive potential for ages, but now the news media scrum have suddenly opened their eyes to the potential that was clearly there to see for some considerable time.

Whirling rain and gale force winds had been predicted ahead of Hammers home tie against table toppers Chelsea at the London Stadium, the clouds looked even darker when the news that talisman Marko Arnoutovic wasn't even if the match day squad was announced! All conquering Chelsea with 15 points from their previous five games turned up having rested their three main players from the exertions of their Thursday night Europa League match, and from the off they had the home team on the back foot.

West Ham: Fabianski, Balbuena, Zabaleta, Diop, Masuaku, Rice, Obiang, Noble, Yarmolenko, Anderson, Antonio. Subs: Adrian, Cresswell, Snodgrass, Sanchez, Ogbonna, Fredericks, Perez.
Chelsea: Arrizabalaga, Rudiger, Alonso, Luiz, Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Kante, Kovacic, Willian, Hazard, Giroud. Subs: Caballero, Fabregas, Barkley, Moses, Zappacosta, Cahill, Morata.