Gary Neville has suggested that Chelsea captain Reece James could replace Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice in England's starting lineup for the World Cup semi-final against Argentina, should Rice be deemed unfit. The Three Lions face the defending champions on Wednesday night, with Spain awaiting the winner in Sunday's final after their victory over France.
Rice's Injury and Illness Concerns
Declan Rice has been managing a hamstring and lower back issue since the turn of the year, which he has carried into the World Cup. The 27-year-old missed the group stage match against Ghana due to the problem, and he admitted to playing through 'terrible pain' during the last-32 clash with DR Congo before completing the full 90 minutes against Mexico. In the quarter-final against Norway, Rice was substituted at half-time, and it later emerged he had spent three days in bed with a virus.
Despite these setbacks, Rice trained with the England squad on Tuesday, increasing optimism that he will be available for the Argentina clash. However, if he is not fully fit, Neville believes Thomas Tuchel will turn to Reece James, who has experience playing in midfield for Chelsea.
James as Midfield Option
Reece James has recovered from a hamstring injury of his own that sidelined him for three matches. He was deployed in midfield against Norway and impressed, restoring balance to the side. James occasionally played in that role for Chelsea last season, and both Neville and Roy Keane see him as a viable alternative to Rice.
Keane told ITV: 'It's the semi-final of a World Cup. He did have a virus but surely Rice will turn up and put an effort in, I'd be very surprised if he said he can't make it. This is where you need your best players available. But what they have done, the squad has come together so whoever does come in will do a good job. We saw Reece James come in and he was brilliant in midfield, he was brilliant at right-back so there are certainly options.'
Neville went further, stating: 'It would be Reece James, I think he will go with Reece James in there if Declan Rice wasn't available.'
Other Squad Considerations
Kobbie Mainoo has yet to feature in the tournament, meaning Tuchel may prefer the experience of James in a high-stakes semi-final. The England squad has shown depth throughout the competition, with several players stepping up when needed.
