Declan Rice should not have started England’s World Cup quarter-final against Norway.
That is according to eSPORTY’s Alan Pardew, who commented on the midfielder’s lack of sharpness in a match that saw him get substituted at half time.
3
Rice was replaced by Eberechi Eze ahead of the second half, with the Three Lions level at 1-1 on Saturday.
It was part of a double change from Thomas Tuchel, which also saw Bukayo Saka come on for Noni Madueke.
England went on to claim a 2-1 win in extra time thanks to Jude Bellingham’s winning goal. Bellingham also scored England’s other goal in normal time.
They will now face Argentina in the semi-finals on Wednesday at 8pm BST, live on eSPORTY.
Ahead of that match, Pardew has urged Tuchel not to select Rice again if he remains unwell.
The 27-year-old had been in bed for most of the three days leading up to the last eight tie due to illness.
Tuchel ‘mistake’
Arsenal star Rice has started five of England’s six matches at the World Cup, having been an unused substitute in their final group match against Panama.
His hamstring injury which kept him out of that match has since cleared, with Rice subsequently playing 90 minutes against DR Congo and Mexico.
It comes after a season which saw Rice make 55 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners.
Reacting to his latest performance on The Final Word, Pardew admitted: “Something I learned as a manager when I had a player ill, a good one of my regular players, when I was a young manager I always played them thinking that they’re that good.
3
“But what I’m saying is when you’re playing top level for sport, if you’re sick or poorly, they never play well, never.
“So of course when I got older and I realised that if a player wasn’t right I wouldn’t play him. They just can’t produce, they haven’t got the emotional thought process to be happy and be good.
“They’re kind of down and that and their game goes down. Dec looked like he looked down yesterday, didn’t he? You only had to look at him.
“So, he wasn’t buzzing and being the Declan Rice that we know. So that was a mistake that Thomas made there.”
Rice’s illness is understood to have added to a neural issue affecting his hamstring and lower back.
3
Despite the discomfort, he now has 78 senior England caps to his name.
If Rice is unable to face Argentina, Tuchel can call upon Kobbie Mainoo, Morgan Rogers or Eze to replace him in midfield.
The England boss is already without Jordan Henderson, who required surgery having fallen during the post-match celebrations following the win over Mexico.
Tuchel also remains without the suspended Jarell Quansah, who served the first of his extended two-match ban against Norway.
World Cup WhatsApp
Don’t miss an update from eSPORTY in our dedicated World Cup WhatsApp channel.
Search for ‘eSPORTY World Cup’ in your ‘Updates’ tab on WhatsApp and weโll drop the proper, unfiltered football chat straight to your lock screenโno fluff, just pure eSPORTY energy.
It’s where you’ll find out all the new rules to watch out for, England and Scotland reaction and big match player ratings.
Plus there will be loads of debates on the biggest talking points as Haaland, Mbappe, Kane and the biggest names in football descend on America, Canada and Mexico.
๐ช๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ข๐ฆ/๐๐ข๐ก๐ง๐๐ก๐จ๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ฅ๐..
