The manager of West Ham United, David Moyes, has pointed to the departure of Declan Rice as the reason behind his team’s recent poor performances, especially away from home.

Rice, a key midfielder, left West Ham last summer for a hefty £105m transfer fee to join Arsenal. Since then, he has played a pivotal role in Arsenal’s quest for the title this season.

In Arsenal’s recent victory over Bournemouth, Rice showcased his prowess by scoring, assisting, and earning the title of Man of the Match.

However, Moyes observed a stark contrast in his own team’s performance just 24 hours later when they suffered a humiliating 5-0 defeat at the hands of Chelsea.

Addressing West Ham’s struggles this season, Moyes pointed directly at Rice’s absence, stating, “Declan Rice. When you’ve got the best midfield player in the country protecting, probably limiting 50 percent of their attacks, it makes you a much better defensive team.”

Moyes emphasized the impact of Rice’s defensive prowess, highlighting his protection to the backline and the team’s overall defensive stability.

“We’ve lacked protection in front of the back four, lacked good enough defending, not been good enough at those things in many games,” Moyes added, underscoring the significance of Rice’s contribution to the team’s defensive solidity.