Declan Rice is set to start for England against D.R. Congo despite his recent injury concerns, and the player believes he is fine now.
Sami Mokbel reported for the BBC in the last few days that Declan Rice is expected to be available to start for England against D.R. Congo on Wednesday, and the player has since also provided a positive update on his fitness.
“I know there’s been one [niggle] over my hamstring, which has been an issue, but that’s not a problem because I’m still here training, I’m playing. I’m fine,” Rice confirmed in England’s pre-match press conference.
“I got a dead calf in the last minute of the Ghana game. The guy whacked me and it literally blew up for three days, so that was just unlucky. It wasn’t actually a calf problem. I’m managing myself really well. I feel good, fit and strong.”
As for Rice’s niggling hamstring injury, the midfielder admitted he’s had to manage it over recent months, but he’s hopeful that it won’t be an issue for him after the summer break.
“I think [the flareup] was a bit of a shock to the system just because I played the Champions League final, had a week completely off-feet, where I did nothing, and then got myself back into a rhythm again,” Rice explained. “The body had a little bit of a shock.
“That’s why I started to feel the pain a little bit, because towards the end [of the season] it was starting to ease off. It’s just something I’ve got to keep managing. Once this season’s done, I’ll get my rest and I’m sure next season I’ll go into it fine.”
Arsenal obviously have a few other players who could feature for England in the D.R. Congo last-32 clash, with Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, and Noni Madueke also in Thomas Tuchel’s squad.
It’s very likely that both Saka and Madueke get some minutes, with Tuchel managing Saka’s fitness but showing a preference to have at least some time with the Hale End graduate on the pitch. Madueke will take the rest of the minutes when Saka can’t play.
Eze is the least likely of the four to feature, but he has come off the bench in each of the last two games, so it’s not impossible all four play a role on Wednesday afternoon.
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