Rice, Coutinho, Vardy: The Premier League's best XI outside of the 'big six' clubs

David Moyes and Declan Rice have been indescribably important to West Ham United in recent years.

With the Hammers rounding off a sensational season that could end in Europa League glory, the sense that the east London club are on an upward trajectory again couldn’t be any clearer.

A great deal of the credit for that upturn in fortunes should be laid at the feet of Moyes, who has shown with his astute and resourceful management that West Ham never should have let him go in 2018.

But alas, it all worked out in the end and now the Hammers are working towards another lofty Premier League finish that Moyes will undoubtedly have a lot to thank Rice for.

Although there are heroes in every part of the London Stadium dressing room from Vladimír Coufal to Michail Antonio, there’s no denying that Rice is the jewel in the crown of Moyes’ West Ham.

The simple fact of the matter is that Rice is one of the best players in the world not currently playing for a Champions League club, and there’s hardly a top European side that wouldn’t take him.

However, at least for now, the England star remains West Ham through and through with his talismanic importance for the club proving so strong that it even reminds Moyes of his time with Wayne Rooney at Everton.

Speaking as part of a fascinating appearance on the High Performance Podcast, Moyes accepted an element of luck in his managerial career where he’s benefitted from players like Rooney and Rice.

The Scotsman glowingly explained: “Sometimes you need good bits of fortune. You need bits of luck. I always remember even when I first got my job at Everton, I remember Walter Smith saying to me: ‘You’re going to be really lucky. There’s a young boy in the academy. He’s going to be a great