England starting right-back vs DR Congo named with decision on Declan Rice return | OneFootball

According to reports, Tottenham Hotspur star Djed Spence is set to start for England in their World Cup round of 32 tie against DR Congo.

Over the weekend, England beat Panama 2-0 to seal top spot in Group L and a simpler route to the final of the World Cup.

The Three Lions are now finalising their preparations for their round of 32 tie vs DR Congo, while matches against Mexico, Brazil and Argentina await in the later rounds.

However, head coach Thomas Tuchel has had several selection headaches at the start of the World Cup, and this is partly due to injuries.

England have mainly have been impacted by right-back, with Tino Livramento ruled out of the tournament before Reece James missed the group game against Panama.

In James’ absence, Bayer Leverkusen star Jarell Quansah, who is a natural centre-back, filled in at right-back, but he was forced off during the Panama match with a twisted ankle.

And ahead of Wednesday’s match against DR Congo, journalist Jacob Steinberg has told The Guardian that Quansah is ‘likely to miss’ this game, while James back will also be unavailable for the game and is also ‘increasingly unlikely’ to feature in the round of 16 against Mexico or Ecuador.

Without these two players, it is hardly surprising that Steinberg insists Spence is the ‘favourite’ and is ‘expected to start’ at right-back against DR Congo.

England given Declan Rice ‘boost’

Still, there is better news regarding Rice after he was rested for the Panama match, with Steinberg stating that the Arsenal midfielder is ‘to return’.

However, Paul Scholes has explained why he thinks Elliot Anderson should start instead of Rice against DR Congo.

“England don’t need to play two sitting midfielders in the next game,” Scholes said on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast.

“No disrespect to Congo but in those type of games you play as many attackers as possible. I think it has to be a straight shootout between Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson, and I think I would just go with Anderson.

“I think he will pass it forward a bit more. Think about Rice with Arsenal… look, he’s a great player and a great leader, I get all that, and you’d rather him in your team than not most of the time.

“But Arsenal didn’t play great football last season either, did they? Rice couldn’t get [Martin] Odegaard in the game, so maybe that’s transferred a bit to England. I don’t think that happens with Anderson.”