West Ham star Declan Rice believes one of his teammates has produced a season-defining moment when it mattered most

West Ham star Declan Rice believes one of his teammates has produced a season-defining moment when it mattered most.

What a difference three days make for West Ham and one player in particular.

It was a sad sight when Lukasz Fabianski was caught dispossessed when rushing out of his area and conceded one of five goals in the miserable defeat to Newcastle in midweek.

The Polish goalkeeper has been hands down one of West Ham’s best signings of the Premier League era.

Fabianski has also been one of the best goalkeepers in West Ham’s modern history.

West Ham star Declan Rice believes one of his teammates has produced a season-defining moment when it mattered most
There have been calls from some for the calm and consistent stopper to be replaced by Alphonse Areola in between the sticks for the Hammers.

By the reality is there has been no justifiable reason – besides inferior kicking distances – for David Moyes to drop the soon-to-be 38-year-old.

Until that error on a night to forget for the whole team in midweek.

Big players bounce back, though.

And having played a huge part in West Ham beating Southampton last weekend, Fabianski was at it again against Fulham.

As the excellent Andreas Pereira ghosted into the West Ham box for a one-on-one with Fabianski in the 83rd minute at Craven Cottage, Hammers fans were all thinking the same thing – ‘here we go again’.

But Fabianski showed his class diving at the midfielder’s feet and clawing the ball away expertly as he tried to round him.

It was as good as a goal and a save that was worth two points to the Hammers.

And West Ham star Declan Rice believes one his teammate has produced a season-defining moment when it mattered most.

“The main man in goal Lukasz has got that strong hand on that chance from Andreas Pereira,” Rice told the club website.

“That’s a season-defining moment for us that.”

That it was Declan, that it was.