Declan Rice has had an eventful week of football following his sending off for Arsenal, as he starts for England against Ireland.
The 25-year-old made his senior international debut for Ireland before deciding to represent England a year later.
Rice starts for the Three Lions in Dublin on Saturday evening as the two nations meet in the Nations League.
It’s England’s first outing with Lee Carsley as manager, taking over from Gareth Southgate following the Euro 2024 campaign.
- READ MORE: Why Declan Rice switched Ireland for England in international football before Arsenal transfer
Ian Wright and Roy Keane agree on Declan Rice Ireland decision
As expected, in the build up to the action at the Aviva Stadium, Rice took centre stage due to his decision to change the nation he represents.
Speaking on ITV’s coverage of the fixture, Ian Wright and Irishman Roy Keane agreed on one thing when discussing Rice and Jack Grealish’s decision to switch sides.
“They probably will get a lot of stick today but that’s the choice they made. What can you do?” Wright explained.
“They believe they might be able to do better and get further in their international careers, maybe play for England and that’s the choice they made.”
Keane shared a surprisingly similar view to Wright on the topic, agreeing that the two players made a decision that felt ‘right’ for their careers.
“Jack and Declan are obviously going to get a bit of stick today but they’re big boys, they can deal with it. They made a decision they felt was right, they’ve moved on and obviously they’ll all move on with it.”
Trialling week for Rice with both Arsenal and England
Last weekend, Rice was cruelly sent off against Brighton, receiving two yellow cards to pick up a one-match suspension in the Premier League.
The midfielder will now miss Arsenal’s North London derby clash against Spurs but perhaps, will be relieved to sit out the hostility.
Rice returns to Dublin as an established England international and won’t be welcomed for such reason, as ITV commentator Andros Townsend explained pre-match.
“Declan Rice has had some stick heading back to West Ham, so I think they’ll [him and Grealish] will be used to it.”
It’s a testing week for the midfielder, and one that the Arsenal man will certainly not shy away from.
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