Declan Rice reacts to Ben Chilwell’s ‘special night’ as summer exit looms
Arsenal star Declan Rice has responded to Ben Chilwell’s message after Crystal Palace beat Wolves in the Premier League on Tuesday, 20 May.
Palace returned to Selhurst Park in a joyous mood after winning the FA Cup final last Saturday, and emerged as 4-2 victors against Vitor Pereira’s men.
Eddie Nketiah scored a brace, while Chilwell and Eberechi Eze both got themselves on the scoresheet to ensure that the Eagles earned their second consecutive Premier League win.
The occasion marked captain Joel Ward’s last home game for Oliver Glasner’s men, while he has provided the South London club with 13 years of service.
Rice responds as Chilwell bids farewell to Crystal Palace teammate Ward
Glasner chose to hand Ward his first Premier League start of the season against Wolves, as he played in front of the Selhurst Park faithful for the final time.
| Ben Chilwell | Crystal Palace stats |
| Appearances | 11 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Assists | 0 |
After scoring a free kick in Palace’s victory over Wolves, Chilwell wrote on Instagram [21 May]: “Special night celebrating Joel Ward.”
Declan Rice commented: “Love it, you”, while Chilwell’s outing against Pereira’s side also marked his last home appearance during his loan spell with Palace before he returns to parent club Chelsea.
Palace are capable of defeating Liverpool in their final Premier League game
The Eagles are full of confidence after their remarkable FA Cup final triumph against Manchester City, and they channelled that momentum into an entertaining 4-2 win over Wolves.
Palace have arguably endured their greatest ever season after winning a major trophy for the first time, even though their campaign seemingly took a turn for the worse when they were beaten 5-0 by Newcastle United on 16 April.
But since their embarrassing defeat in the North East last month, Glasner’s men have enjoyed a seven-game unbeaten run, which has included three victories, such as their FA Cup final win over Man City and a semi-final triumph over Aston Villa.
The freshly crowned cup champions could be capable of causing yet another upset by beating Premier League winners Liverpool at Anfield on the Premier League’s final day on Sunday, 25 May.
Furthermore, Arne Slot’s Reds have lost two of their last three games since clinching the top-flight title on 27 April, and were also held to a 2-2 draw by Arsenal despite holding a 2-0 lead on 11 May.