City join tussle for £100m-rated Rice

MANCHESTER CITY will send an early riposte to Erik ten Hag by joining the summer battle for West Ham’s £100million England star Declan Rice.

City, who have been gazumped by United in recent years for Alexis Sanchez and Cristiano Ronaldo, are ready to back Pep Guardiola in the transfer market and dent Ten Hag’s impact at Manchester United following his appointment last week.

Though a deal for £63million Dortmund striker Erling Haaland has already been agreed, City bosses have made it clear they can go after Rice as well with club captain Fernandinho departing to leave a vacancy in midfield.

Meanwhile, David Moyes has urged misfiring West Ham striker Michail Antonio to stand up and be counted at the business end of the season.

Antonio has scored 10 goals so far this term but has not found the net in the league since New Year’s Day.

The 32-year-old missed two good chances last weekend as West Ham failed to take advantage of defeats for Arsenal and Tottenham in the race for the top four, only managing a 1-1 draw at home to Burnley.

The Hammers face a potentially season-defining week with today’s trip to Chelsea followed by the first leg of the Europa League semi-final at home to Eintracht Frankfurt.

Moyes admits he needs Antonio to rediscover his goal touch.

‘If he’d got a couple of goals last Sunday, you would say he was back in form, but the goals are missing,’ said the Scot.

‘His all-round performance has got better in the last month or two, at Lyon he was very good.

‘We can get him to assist and make goals because he is a focal point — but ultimately we’re at the business end and you have to get the ball in the net.

‘You’re not getting five one-on-ones with the goalkeeper, you might only get one of them a game and you have to be ready to take that one.’