ENGLAND could be without midfield lynchpin Declan Rice for their World Cup quarter-final with current holders France.
The 38-cap West Ham ace, 23, has been a mainstay in Gareth Southgate‘s team since his 2019 debut with only captain Harry Kane playing more times in that three-year period.
Rice starred in England’s 2021 run to the Euro final and has started all four of England’s World Cup games so far.
But the midfielder missed Wednesday’s training through illness, putting his participation in Saturday’s quarter-final against Les Bleus in doubt.
Rice is seen as one of England‘s main defensive firefighters, and would be key in sniffing out danger and extinguishing attacks before they reach Jordan Pickford’s goal.
And his absence would be a massive blow to Southgate and his Three Lions.
England do have adequate cover, though, in Rice’s former midfield partner Kalvin Phillips, who has been replaced by superstar Jude Bellingham, 19.
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has also impressed at the World Cup, proving to be a calming figure in the middle of the park.
Should Rice miss Saturday’s clash, Phillips is the most like-for-like replacement.
So how could Southgate set up his Three Lions team with a place in the semi-finals on the line?
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4-3-3
Fellow defensive firefighter Kyle Walker, who is being talked up as France star Kylian Mbappe’s Kryptonite, has suggested England could stick with a back four.
If Southgate’s sticks with a four, Walker, John Stones, Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw will protect Pickford.
Phillips will come into the midfield and take up Rice’s role of sitting in front of Maguire and Stones.
Both Henderson and Bellingham are bang in-form and would get the nod in this set-up.
Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden have also found their feet on the world stage.
Saka is being talked up as another key component of stopping Mbappe.
The Arsenal’s man’s attacking threat could drag Mbappe back into deeper positions, exploiting his defensive limitations.
Captain Kane will lead the line.
4-2-3-1
Southgate could go with a double pivot against the French.
Phillips’ defensive superiority over Bellingham and Henderson should see him start, despite limited minutes.
Southgate trusts the Manchester City ace.
Bellingham has lit up the tournament and you’d expect him to start, but it isn’t out of the realms of possibility that Henderson is preferred to partner Phillips.
A midfield two would then allow room for an added attacker.
France’s weaknesses could be down the flanks and you could bring Marcus Rashford into the fold, while allowing Foden to go head-to-head with Aurelien Tchouameni.
3-4-3
Southgate’s trusted 3-4-3 could also be used, despite the Three Lions lining up with a back four for the tournament so far.
Walker would move into the back three alongside Maguire and Stones.
He’d be tasked with stopping Mbappe, with the help of Kieran Trippier, who is preferred to Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Phillips could also be deployed on the right of the midfield two to help out Walker and Trippier in stopping the World Cup 2022’s current top scorer.
Saka and Foden would again provide support to captain Kane.
