Eberechi Eze has moved to ease injury fears over England midfielder Declan Rice, insisting his Arsenal teammate is “OK” and not carrying an injury ahead of Saturday’s World Cup group match against Panama.
Rice Under Assessment After Ghana Draw
Rice is being assessed by England’s medical staff after he was spotted limping following Tuesday’s goalless draw with Ghana in Boston. The central midfielder had strapping around his left calf as he left the stadium, sparking concerns over his fitness.
Before the match, Rice had revealed he has been dealing with “neural pain” since Christmas but said he felt physically “very good”. He was substituted midway through the second half of England’s 4-2 win over Croatia after feeling pain, but played the full 90 minutes against Ghana.
Eze Reassures on Rice’s Condition
Speaking two days before England’s final Group L clash with Panama, Eze dismissed worries over Rice. “Dec wants to play every game,” Eze said. “He will do whatever he can to help the team. When you watch him play, I don’t see that he’s carrying anything. He’s enjoying himself, having fun. I’m sure he is OK.”
England need to beat Panama to secure top spot in the group. Head coach Thomas Tuchel has typically used one No.10 in his formations, but the option of fielding a second—such as Eze alongside Jude Bellingham—could be deployed against defensively-minded opponents like Ghana and Panama.
Eze on Tactical Options
“It's something that the manager has spoken about before, so it's definitely something that we've got,” Eze said of the possibility of two playmakers. The former Crystal Palace midfielder came off the bench in Foxborough, Massachusetts, replacing Elliot Anderson as England chased a winner that never came. He operated as an advanced playmaker alongside fellow substitute Morgan Rogers, who replaced Bellingham.
Rice, meanwhile, completed the full match against Ghana, further indicating his fitness despite the earlier limp.
