West Ham midfielder Declan Rice has urged David Moyes to start giving Nikola Vlasic more game-time.
The Lowdown: Frustration for Vlasic
The 24-year-old arrived in east London during last year’s summer transfer window after signing from Russian side CSKA Moscow in a deal worth £27m. However, the Croatia international has struggled for minutes under the Irons manager, having only been in the starting XI on four occasions in the league this season.
Despite coming off the bench a further nine times, the attacking midfielder has amassed just 382 minutes of Premier League football throughout the current campaign, with one solitary goal to his name across all competitions.
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The Latest: Rice calls for Vlasic to be played
Despite Vlasic enduring a frustration first few months at West Ham, vice-captain Rice has called for Moyes to start giving his team-mate more of a chance in the starting XI.
In an interview with Soccer AM, as per Claret & Hugh, the England midfielder said of the 24-year-old: “I would put him in there, I would say that he’s one of the top three strongest players I’ve played with as well, he is so strong.”
The Verdict: Hammers clinging on
Rice’s comments come as the Irons cling on to fifth spot in the Premier League table, as their pursuit of Champions League qualification seems to be slipping though their fingers.
Moyes’ side have picked up just eight points in their previous six league games, and with Arsenal winning their last two league matches, they now match the Hammers for points, with the teams only separated on goal difference by one.
Rice’s comments could hint at some frustrations within the squad over the manager's team selection. This does not bode well for the 58-year-old, who could be in the firing line (and has come under some recent criticism) if he loses the confidence of his players and fails to qualify for Europe altogether.
It will be intriguing to see how Moyes responds to his vice-captain's comments.
In other news: Irons set to face ‘big competition’ in pursuit of one transfer target