
Declan Rice’s nightmare West Ham return a result of Arsenal’s complacency
By the time Declan Rice eventually took to the pitch on his return to West Ham, his rescue mission had begun to look like an impossible task. The smattering of boos that greeted the return of only the third West Ham captain in history to lift a major honour were quickly drowned out by a rapturous roar. Rice had only been on for a matter of moments when Jarrod Bowen’s deflected strike cannoned in off Aaron Ramsdale and with it, Rice’s old club led his new club by three goals. By the end, Arsenal crashed out of the Carabao Cup with barely a whimper. This was not a happy homecoming for Rice – it was a terrible night for Arsenal, a difficult evening for Ramsdale, and a regretful one for Mikel Arteta, whose side were second-best throughout. Rice’s introduction off the bench came too late, as did the arrivals of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard, who fired a consolation goal that was barely even acknowledged in the 95th minute. Arsenal took this fourth-round tie lightly and were punished: West Ham and David Moyes pulled off their plan and played the occasion well. They thoroughly deserved their place in the quarter-finals. After Rice helped inspire West Ham to the Europa Conference League last season, delivering a fitting send-off on his final appearance for the club, it could be that the Hammers win another trophy before he does. Rice, of course, has bigger goals than the Carabao Cup, but it could be that the competition serves as the perfect way for West Ham to build on last season’s success. Bowen and Lucas Paqueta were excellent, but the game’s outstanding moment came with Mohammed Kudus’s stunning second for the hosts. West Ham have invested the Rice money wisely. Arsenal, though, had their lack of depth exposed. Arteta’s side looked flat from the start and the concession of a cheap corner invited West Ham to roll numbers forward and into the box. While Tomas Soucek grappled with Ramsdale on the goalline, Bowen aimed towards the front post with plenty of pace and whip. There was no West Ham player in sight but Arsenal got themselves into a mess: with Ramsdale pushing past Soucek and crashing the back of Gabriel, Ben White, caught behind Kai Havertz, positioned in the wrong place, bundled into the net with his newly bleached blonde head. The blame from an Arsenal perspective deserved to be shared around, yet the focus naturally fell on Ramsdale. The England international had his shirt pulled and felt he was fouled, if VAR was used in the Carabao Cup fourth round then it may have been overturned. Yet his appeals towards referee Anthony Taylor were in vain and an important night for the goalkeeper was off to a difficult start. Perhaps Ramsdale, clearly Arsenal’s No 2 now despite Arteta’s curious claim that he would be rotated with David Raya, felt under more pressure than he usually would have been before he was dropped. There was certainly a sense of unease and panic in Arsenal’s defence. Ramsdale and Gabriel invited pressure as Arsenal struggled to play out, which played into West Ham’s hands. The hosts were up for it, Bowen raising the crowd with a challenge deep in Arsenal’s half, West Ham then forcing another corner with their subsequent press. Ramsdale was again targeted by Soucek and although West Ham finished the half without having a shot on target, registering just over 32 per cent of the possession, it felt as if Moyes’s side carried the greater threat on the counter-attack. Arsenal were slow and ponderous, and it was no surprise to see Rice was summoned to begin his warm-up midway through the first half, greeted by a warm, rippling standing ovation from much of the London Stadium. After making changes, Arteta left himself with the security of a high-quality bench and it quickly became clear that Rice, Saka, Odegaard and Martinelli would be needed. Despite their possession, Havertz’s flicked header that forced an instinctive save from Lukasz Fabianski was the closest the visitors came. But half-time came and went without any changes and Arsenal were almost punished within seconds of the restart. Paqueta slipped in Bowen with a reverse pass and Ramsdale was required to stretch his arms to deny the forward’s clever chip. White, this time, cleared the danger as he beat Kudus to the rebound. Still Rice warmed up, the intensity of his sprints on the touchline quickening, and it was just at the moment of the West Ham supporters bantering with their former captain that he “should have signed for a big club” that the Hammers doubled their lead. Although not on the pitch, perhaps Rice could have been credited with the assist: it was with some of the record £105m that West Ham received for Rice this summer that led to the Hammers signing a player of the calibre of Kudus from Ajax. If Kudus has sparkled so far for West Ham with a couple of eye-catching goals and contributions, this was the 23-year-old’s most impressive yet. Controlling a high, diagonal pass, Kudus skilfully directed his touch to cut inside Zinchenko. Then, with the yard of space he had created, Kudus fired a zipping strike through the legs of Gabriel. Arteta could not wait any longer: on came Rice to more than a few boos, soon followed by Saka and Martinelli, and then Odegaard. But by then it was too late: another White header caused chaos for Arsenal, only this time it set up Bowen on the edge of the box. Bowen’s strike took a slight deflection off Jakub Kiwior, which left a rather awkward-looking Ramsdale only able to parry the volley into his own net. Rice seemed to struggle on his return, with passes overhit to cheers from the home fans. It was only with the introduction of Odegaard that Arsenal began to look more like themselves, but when the captain fired a low finish past Fabianski in the 95th minute, there was barely anyone left in the away end to applaud it. Read More Declan Rice booed by West Ham fans on return to London Stadium Carabao Cup draw: Liverpool, Newcastle and more discover fate Why Declan Rice returns to West Ham as Arsenal’s ‘Van Dijk’ signing West Ham vs Arsenal LIVE: Carabao Cup result, final score and reaction Everton end emotional week with win at West Ham thanks to Calvert-Lewin goal West Ham vs Everton LIVE: Latest Premier League updates
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This is why you keep waking up at 4am – and what you can do about it
Ever find yourself awake, staring into space at four in the morning? Is it just a bad habit, or is there something more sinister going on? And why does it always seem to happen at 4am? “We start to experience less deep sleep after around four to five hours,” says Lisa Artis, deputy CEO of The Sleep Charity, who have partnered with Simba mattresses. And once we’re in that lighter sleep faze, we wake much more easily. If you generally fall asleep around 11pm – which is a very common bedtime, 4am wake-ups are more likely. And there are many factors leading to these inconvenient stirrings. Hormones “Sleep is guided by our internal clock or circadian rhythm. One of the most significant and well-known circadian rhythms is the sleep-wake cycle,” Artis continues. “Sleep is regulated by the levels of two hormones: melatonin and cortisol, which follow a regular 24-hour pattern. Melatonin assists you in dozing off, while cortisol helps get you up, and keeps you awake,” she explains. Keeping an eye on your hormones is important in preventing those late-night wake-ups. “Engage in calming activities before bedtime, such as reading, listening to soothing music, or practising relaxation techniques, like deep breathing or meditation,” says Dr Mariyam H. Malik, GP at Pall Mall Medical. Equally, pop your phone down for a bit. “Blue light from electronic devices can suppress melatonin production. Try to avoid screens for at least two hours before bedtime, or use blue light filters. It is best to charge them in a separate room overnight,” Malik adds. Diet Caffeine, heavy meals, alcohol, sugar, and a lack of magnesium or B vitamins could lead you to have a more disturbed night’s sleep, according to Malik. Sugar and carbohydrates may have a particular impact. “A diet high in sugar and refined carbohydrates can cause blood sugar fluctuations, leading to wakefulness during the night,” she says. “It’s unlikely you’ll feel hungry in the middle of the night if your blood sugar dips,” notes Artis, “but to reduce ungodly hour awakenings, trial alternatives for your last meal or snack of the evening. Instead of carb or sweet-based snacks, opt for protein-packed and magnesium-rich foods, like hard boiled eggs, cottage cheese, pumpkin seeds, spinach, dark chocolate, cashews, chicken thighs or turkey.” Protein can take the edge off your night-time hunger, she says, while magnesium is known to support sleep. Needing a wee Do you wake up needing to wee at the same time every night? “Try not to drink excessive amounts of fluids before bedtime,” advises Malik. “It’s important to stay hydrated, but try not to drink anything for around two hours before your usual bedtime. Go to the toilet before you go to bed to empty your bladder. ” Age and life stage “Sleep tends to become more disrupted as people get older,” Malik explains. “Sleep patterns change with age, and various factors can contribute to sleep disturbances in older adults. Some common reasons for sleep disruption in the elderly include changes in your circadian rhythm, decreased melatonin production, medical conditions or medications, and potential sleep disorders.” It can also affect women during the perimenopause. “The reproductive hormones – oestrogen and progesterone – are entwined with the sleep and relaxation hormones, melatonin and serotonin,” says Artis. “When oestrogen begins to fall before and during menopause, it can create a disturbance in the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin, meaning it can’t properly balance out cortisol. When this happens, the ability to fall and stay asleep is affected.” Recurring hot flushes, night sweats, dry skin, and low libido can signal waning oestrogen. Artis advises incorporating foods with high levels of phytoestrogens into your diet throughout the day to help with this. “Phytoestrogens imitate the natural estrogens found in your body. As a consequence, they can bind to your body’s oestrogen receptors and produce similar effects.” Try lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas, tofu, edamame, spinach, cauliflower and broccoli. Worrying Stress is not good for sleep. One study by Bupa even found that 32 million Brits wake up worrying about their health at precisely 4:05 am. The report, which surveyed 4,000 British adults, revealed that more than three-fifths of us wake up in the middle of the night. If you are finding yourself awake at all hours worrying, or waking up with stressful dreams, there are a few things that may help. “Keep a journal by your bedside and write down your worries before going to bed. This practice can help get your concerns out of your mind and onto paper, making it easier to let go of them temporarily,” says Malik. You may also want to “engage in mindfulness or meditation exercises before bedtime. Mindfulness can help you focus on the present moment, reducing anxiety about the past or the future.”
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