West Ham’s Michail Antonio has expressed his admiration for an Arsenal star, placing him on par with Chelsea’s breakout talent Cole Palmer this term.
Palmer has had an outstanding inaugural season with Chelsea, netting 22 times and setting up 10 more in 32 appearances in the Premier League.
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Despite Chelsea’s struggles in the earlier part of the season, Palmer, a recent addition from Manchester City, shone brightly, possibly securing Mauricio Pochettino’s managerial position before Chelsea’s turnaround.
Palmer’s stellar performances earned him a spot on the prestigious eight-player shortlist for the Premier League’s Player of the Season, alongside notable names such as Erling Haaland and Phil Foden.
However, West Ham’s striker Antonio contends that Declan Rice, another contender for the award and Arsenal’s midfield maestro, has matched Palmer’s excellence throughout the 2023-24 season.
Since his record-breaking £105m transfer from West Ham to Arsenal, Rice has been a cornerstone for the Gunners, missing only one match out of 37 in the Premier League and playing a pivotal role in Arsenal’s formidable challenge for the title, which will come to a head on the season’s last day.
When asked to name his Premier League signing of the season, Antonio said on The Players Channel podcast: ‘I’ve got two people I can’t pick between, Declan Rice and Cole Palmer.
‘I can’t divide them. Of course, if you’re going to pick someone, you have to pick the attacking player given the goals they’ve scored.
‘But you can’t disregard the job Declan Rice has done at Arsenal and that’s the reason I’m not picking and it’s a draw between those two for me.
‘At the end of the day, Rice going to Arsenal has given them a great chance of winning the Premier League, he’s progressed them since last year, he’s made the difference.
‘Cole’s had an unbelievable season, what a player. Everyone wondered why Chelsea were splashing £40m on an unproven player but he’s been amazing.’
Rice is set to be a key player for Arsenal in their final match of the season against Everton on Sunday. His performance could compel Manchester City to secure a win in their last game against West Ham to claim the championship.
On the other side, Cole Palmer’s Chelsea will host Bournemouth with the aim of clinching a spot in European competitions for the upcoming season.
