Historically there has never been any major rivalry between West Ham and Arsenal but the Gunners seem determined to generate one.

Much has been written and much has been said on both the Arsenal and West Ham side of this new divide.

Declan Rice made a number of comments – notably about seeing football in a completely different way since leaving West Ham for the Gunners – which have annoyed some Hammers fans.

Not to mention the fact he pushed for a move to a London rival in Arsenal when Man City were also in for him.

But Rice has also made it clear on numerous occasions with his words and actions that he will always love West Ham.

He refused to celebrate his brilliant goal in Arsenal’s 6-0 demolition of West Ham at the London Stadium earlier this year.

Rice also posted a heartfelt message to West Ham on the anniversary of the Europa Conference League triumph he led them to.

Just last week Rice donated £5,000 to a Hammers academy star stricken with cancer.

Arsenal’s dig at West Ham after Rice’s Ballon d’Or nomination

Besides some pantomime booing, Rice received warm receptions from West Ham fans in the games between them and Arsenal last season.

The midfielder clapped all corners of the ground too.

And, crucially, Rice has never kissed the Arsenal badge as he’d done so often at the club who made him – West Ham.

That is a fact the Gunners seem to keep forgetting, though.

West Ham and Rice are at peace with one another. But it seems to Arsenal can’t let it lie.

When Rice won the London player of the year award last season, Arsenal proudly trumpeted the achievement on their official website.

But it was pointed out to the club by fans on social media that Rice had won the award as a result of leading West Ham to a first major trophy in 43 years.

Now Arsenal have aimed a dig at West Ham after Rice’s Ballon d’Or nomination.

Gunners forget Rice was made by West Ham

There has been a rhetoric in north London that Rice has only become world class since leaving West Ham for Arsenal.

Even Mikel Arteta and Rice himself have denied that’s the case.

The shortlist for the Ballon D’Or was named overnight.

There are no West Ham stars on it but Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard William Saliba and Rice have made the list.

In celebrating the nominations, Arsenal’s official site has made a withering jibe at the Hammers.

The Gunners have suggested Rice is a Ballon d’Or nominee as a result of his marginally improved statistical output in their title challenging team.

Arsenal have even gone to the trouble of analysing how many assists Rice got in his time at West Ham to make their point.

Childish and unnecessary from Arsenal

“Declan was also a part of that Three Lions side (with Saka), but at club level he scored a personal best seven times, and laid on 10 goals for teammates, nine of which were in the Premier League – one short of his total assists in 242 matches for West Ham United,” Arsenal said.

“He was a nominee for the Premier League Player of the Season, and was runner-up in the Football Writers’ awards.”

The line about Rice setting a new personal best for goals in a season is rather churlish.

It is just one more than his best at West Ham despite now playing in much better team and supposedly in a more advanced role.

To then add that his assists total is just one less than in his whole time with the Hammers feels a bit childish too.

Rice is the same player he was at West Ham, the club who made him what he is.

Why Arsenal couldn’t make that point after paying £105m for the privilege of signing him is somewhat sad.

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