Declan Rice accepts he had an ‘average World Cup’ as England gear up for Spain showdown

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has acknowledged he had an 'average' World Cup, attributing it to fatigue at the end of a gruelling season, and says he used the September-October international window break to recover. Rice believes the rest has paid off, pointing to strong recent performances against Bayern Munich and Liverpool as evidence of his return to form. He is now targeting his best level for England in Sunday's Nations League match against Spain at the Metropolitano Stadium, with James Trafford selected to start in goal.