England to make late Declan Rice fitness call for Argentina semi-final

Rice went off at half-time in England’s 2-1 extra-time win in Miami on Saturday, after Thomas Tuchel said the Arsenal midfielder had spent three days in bed before the match. England will wait until late to decide whether Declan Rice can start against Argentina, after the midfielder was still working his way back from illness that left him unable to finish the quarter-final against Norway.

With 78 England caps and all but one World Cup start under his belt, he has been the player who lets England hold their shape when matches become stretched. If he is cleared for the semi-final in Atlanta on Wednesday, England can keep a familiar balance in front of the defence, with Rice screening the back line and allowing others to push higher. If he is not, Tuchel will have to change the tempo of the side’s midfield, either by using a more cautious double screen or by asking a replacement to take on the holding role with less control. Either way, England would lose some of the control that comes from Rice’s ability to break up play and keep the team compact. The semi-final in Atlanta on Wednesday is for a place in the 19 July final at New York New Jersey Stadium.

Rice picked up the sickness bug in Mexico after England beat the hosts 3-2 in the last 16, and he has also been dealing with a neural problem affecting his lower back and hamstring for several months. England’s medical staff are taking a day-by-day approach and will wait as long as possible before deciding whether he can start at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, an air-conditioned venue that is less punishing than Miami’s heat and humidity.

England beat Norway in a quarter-final, with Jude Bellingham scoring in the 93rd minute before the match went to extra time. Norway had reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in their history.