Micah Richards admits he ‘feels sorry for’ Declan Rice after enduring a ‘difficult’ game in England’s Euro 2024 last 16 win over Slovakia.
England were seconds away from crashing out of the tournament in humiliating fashion before Jude Bellingham’s stunning late equaliser which brought the match to extra-time.
Within the first minute of the additional period, captain Harry Kane headed home to give the Three Lions a nervy 2-1 win and keep their Euros dream alive.
Unfortunately, the performance was yet again unconvincing, though Gareth Southgate’s one change to the starting XI, bringing in Kobbie Mainoo for Conor Gallagher, was a positive one.
That being said, Richards believes that the teenager’s place in the line-up did cause a bit of trouble for his midfield partner Rice.
Speaking on The Rest is Football, the former England defender was asked which players impressed him against Slovakia, and replied: ‘I thought Mainoo was okay.
‘He has no fear. He want to drive the ball forward, same as what we saw for Man United last season.
‘I feel a little bit sorry for Declan Rice. You’re looking for relationships on the field.
‘He’s played a couple of games with Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield, then Gallagher, then Mainoo. It’s hard for him.
‘Everyone’s saying, “we’ll have Rice and then we’ll have Bellingham”, but he needs that continuity to know what they want to do and how he wants to play.
‘So, although I don’t think he had his best game Rice, it’s going to be difficult for him because he’s constantly having a different partner in there.’
Mainoo will very likely retain his place alongside Rice for England’s quarter-final clash against Switzerland on Saturday, though Richards believes they’ll be in for a tough time given the players they’re up against.
‘It’s a hard one. I’m just thinking the way Switzerland play with the three at the back,’ the Manchester City icon added.
‘[Manuel] Akanji is pivotal to everything they do. [Fabian] Schar is very good. Worries me a little bit in midfield with [Granit] Xhaka and [Remo] Freuler because they basically just run the game.
‘But if I’m looking at the areas where we can hurt Switzerland it’s definitely down the righthand-side and lefthand-side.’
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