Declan Rice has been forced to play through injury and illness for Arsenal and England at the World Cup
Lee Dixon felt Declan Rice was "energy-depleted" during England's World Cup quarter-final vs Norway.
Lee Dixon felt Declan Rice was "energy-depleted" during England's World Cup quarter-final vs Norway.(Image: FIFA via Getty Images)
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Former England international Lee Dixon has highlighted Declan Rice's worrying fitness concerns. The ITV co-commentator noticed how the Arsenal midfielder looked devoid of energy during the Three Lions' World Cup quarter-final with Norway.
Rice had to overcome a bug to be fit for selection to face Stale Solbakken's side in Miami on Saturday, while he has been nursing a persistent issue with his hamstring. The Gunners star played through the problem in order to help them to their first Premier League title in 20 years while he has been forced to play through after emerging as a star man for Thomas Tuchel.
The 27-year-old was left out of the starting 11 entirely for their 2-0 win over Panama in the final match of their group stage campaign. However, Dixon felt that the problems were beginning to catch up with Rice.
He said: "It's not like Declan Rice, it took him an age to get out there to take that corner, he looks energy-depleted. His body language... he's hit two corners, a free-kick, he never misses the spot, it's just missing from his game. He wandered over, we're 1-0 down, get yourself over, take it quickly. He just looks off colour, which we know he is."
Rice was brought off at half-time and replaced by Eberechi Eze. Gary Neville said: "I think it could be Declan Rice because in the first-half, I don't know what was up with him. He was struggling with corners, and I wondered whether he looked fit."
Ian Wright added: "He has been struggling in the first-half, you could tell with his set-pieces, he didn't look right."
England fell behind after a dominant first half-hour when Andreas Schjelderup's cross-cum-shot caught Jordan Pickford off guard. The World Cup darkhorses then had a gilt-edged chance go begging when Alexander Sorloth failed to convert a counter-attack when he selfishly opted to go alone, despite golden boot-chasing Erling Haaland in support.
They were forced to rue the passage of play when Jude Bellingham powered home the equaliser after combining with Anthony Gordon. Solbakken couldn't hide his frustration as he threw a water bottle towards his bench clipping one of the Norwegian staff members on its way to the ground, a similar action to when Sorloth squandered a good goalscoring opportunity.