Declan Rice played right-back as England beat DR Congo to reach the last 16.
Djed Spence started the game at right-back, but the Tottenham defender was audibly hammered by Thomas Tuchel from the touchline before being substituted.
Eberechi Eze came on in his place, making his third substitute appearance in a row, and Declan Rice was shifted from midfield to full-back.
That created an all-Arsenal triangle on the right flank, with Rice, Eze and Bukayo Saka, who all combined effectively in the build-up to Harry Kane’s equaliser.
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Rice put in a commendable effort in the role, something he has done on a couple of occasions under Mikel Arteta.
He jokingly admitted after the game that he hopes not to play there again, but would do whatever the team needed.
And after his display, Tuchel may see it as a genuine option now.
Gary Lineker says playing Declan Rice at right-back could actually make England better
Speaking on The Rest Is Football on Netflix, Lineker made the case for playing Rice at right-back.
“The interesting thing for me is, I like Declan Rice as a full-back option,” he said.
“You can then play Anderson and Mainoo, which will give you a much more steady midfield, and you can play Bellingham in a free role.”
Deploying Rice at right-back does allow Tuchel to get more quality players on the pitch simultaneously.
But, as Micah Richards argued on the same programme, moving Rice out of midfield takes away much-needed energy and physicality from the engine room.
Elliot Anderson and Kobbie Mainoo are both relatively slight in stature, and that could hand the opposition a physical advantage in the midfield battle, particularly against Mexico.
But Rice is the kind of player who performs well wherever you put him. He really is a manager’s dream.
It’s clear, however, that he has been managing some discomfort throughout the tournament and has not quite been at his best level.
Hopefully he finds his rhythm as England advance, but for Arsenal’s sake, he will need a proper rest before the new season begins.
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