Declan Rice winning fitness battle to start for England against Argentina

• Rice expected to overcome illness for semi-final

• Jordan Pickford: ‘We can’t focus solely on Messi’

Declan Rice is set to overcome illness and retain his place for England’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina on Wednesday.

The Arsenal midfielder was substituted at half-time of England’s win over Norway in the quarter-final, with Thomas Tuchel revealing that he had spent most of the previous three days in bed due to illness.

But it is understood that Rice has been feeling much better after England returned to their base in Kansas City for the final time before departing for Atlanta on Tuesday and the 27-year-old is expected to start alongside Elliot Anderson in midfield against the reigning world champions.

Sources: The Guardian