Declan Rice has been linked with an Arsenal switch for much of the current campaign, and he might see his display for West Ham against the Gunners as a successful audition.
The Hammers captain saw his team fall two goals behind inside 10 minutes, with Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard on target, but he led a spirited comeback from David Moyes' side. Rice played a part in the build-up as Said Benrahma halved the deficit from the penalty spot, before Jarrod Bowen levelled things up in the second half.
Before the game, West Ham's number 41 had praised his England team-mates who play their club football for Arsenal. However, after his fellow Three Lions star Bukayo Saka missed a penalty at the London Stadium, Rice ended the afternoon celebrating a point gained.
"[Arsenal] have had a strong season and have now got a real identity to the way they play under Mikel Arteta," Rice wrote in his programme notes ahead of the game. "I obviously know a few of their players from England and they are not only top-class on the pitch but good boys off it - but of course those friendships will go out the window when we kick-off today!
"While we know Arsenal are a top team, we cannot allow them to dictate today's game," the midfielder added. "We need to impose ourselves on them and play our football."
Rice clearly looked up for the game from the get-go, putting pressure on opposite number Thomas Partey. For a while, it looked as though the two early Arsenal goals would leave the home side with no chance, but another interaction with the Ghanaian helped start the comeback.
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With around half an hour on the clock, Rice was quick to close down Partey and win the ball high up the pitch. The visitors appealed for handball, but referee David Coote didn't agree, and Lucas Paqueta collected the ball from Rice before being brought down by Arsenal defender Gabriel for a penalty.
The England man was full of energy throughout, earning praise from manager Moyes along with his fellow central midfielders Paqueta and Tomas Soucek. He kept going right until the end, too, making a late interception to snuff out an Arsenal counter after Soucek had been bypassed high up the field.
Arsenal aren't the only club to have been linked with Rice, though other potential suitors have already spent big on midfield reinforcements over the last 12 months. Manchester United broke the bank to bring in Casemiro from Real Madrid last summer, while Chelsea set a new English transfer record in January when adding Enzo Fernandez to their ranks.
Rice may well find himself on the move at the end of this season, but he still has a chance to keep West Ham in the Premier League and potentially end the season with a trophy. The draw with Arsenal left Moyes' side four points outside the drop zone, while they take on Gent on Thursday in the second leg of their Europa Conference League quarter-final after a 1-1 draw in Belgium.
