Rice Set to Return as England Face Right-Back Crisis
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- Declan Rice is expected to start England's World Cup last-32 tie against DR Congo on Wednesday in Atlanta after recovering from a heavy calf blow sustained in the goalless draw with Ghana last Tuesday.
- Thomas Tuchel rested the 27-year-old Arsenal midfielder for the 2-0 win over Panama, instead starting a midfield of Elliot Anderson and Jude Bellingham.
- Reece James missed the Panama win with a hamstring injury picked up against Ghana, and Tuchel is not ruling him out for DR Congo but said the Chelsea right-back's return is likely to come later in the tournament.
- Jarell Quansah, who deputised for James at right-back against Panama, is also a major doubt for Wednesday with an ankle injury; Tuchel said it will be "very tight" for the Bayer Leverkusen defender to prove fitness over the next 48 hours.
- Tino Livramento left the squad with a calf issue before England's tournament even started, leaving Tuchel with Djed Spence — who replaced Quansah against Panama — as the likely starter against DR Congo, or centre-back Ezri Konsa as an emergency right-back option.
Why it matters: Rice's return stabilizes an England midfield that looked flat against Panama, but Tuchel is down to essentially one natural right-back (Spence) for a knockout World Cup fixture, with James, Quansah and Livramento all injured — a depth problem at the exact position opponents probe most in tournament football.
