Paul Scholes has explained why he thinks England boss Thomas Tuchel should select Elliot Anderson over Declan Rice against DR Congo.
The Three Lions have booked their place in the World Cup knockout stages and will face DR Congo in the round of 32 on Wednesday evening.
Tuchel has some selection dilemmas heading into this game, including in centre-midfielder after Jude Bellingham shone alongside Anderson against Panama.
Rice was rested for the Panama game because he is carrying a knock, but he is likely to come back into the team for the DR Congo match.
However, Scholes believes Anderson should start ahead of Rice because England âdonât need two sitting midfieldersâ against DR Congo, while the Man City-bound player âpasses it forward moreâ and Riceâs approach for Arsenal has âtransferred to Englandâ.
âEngland donât need to play two sitting midfielders in the next game,â Scholes said on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast.
READ: England fans pining for Harry Maguire and Trent after awful Panama win
âNo 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.
âI think he will pass it forward a bit more. Think about Rice with Arsenal⊠look, heâs a great player and a great leader, I get all that, and youâd rather him in your team than not most of the time.
âBut Arsenal didnât play great football last season either, did they? Rice couldnât get [Martin] Odegaard in the game, so maybe thatâs transferred a bit to England. I donât think that happens with Anderson.â
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Paul Scholes makes England World Cup prediction
On Englandâs win over Panama, Scholes continued: âIt wasnât great, was it?
âAcross the three games I donât think Iâve seen a team that will win the World Cup.
âIt hasnât been great but look, they could get better and theyâre winning games and I do think theyâve got match winners in the team.
âI just donât think theyâre at the level of France or Argentina yet.â
Scholesâ podcast co-host, Nicky Butt, also thinks Tuchel should make a change in midfield, but he would pick Rice over Anderson.
âYou canât play two sitting midfielders against teams who arenât going to have any of the possession,â Butt said.
READ NEXT: Two âarrogant and ignorantâ Arsenal stars slammed after England beat Panama
âIâd definitely play Declan Rice in the next game so I would leave Elliot Anderson out.
âI think heâs been brilliant and is a top, top, top player which is why Man City have gone and paid ÂŁ120m for him.
âI just donât think you can leave Declan rice out. Heâs one of those players you just donât leave out.â
The Three Lions have booked their place in the World Cup knockout stages and will face DR Congo in the round of 32 on Wednesday evening.
Tuchel has some selection dilemmas heading into this game, including in centre-midfielder after Jude Bellingham shone alongside Anderson against Panama.
Rice was rested for the Panama game because he is carrying a knock, but he is likely to come back into the team for the DR Congo match.
However, Scholes believes Anderson should start ahead of Rice because England âdonât need two sitting midfieldersâ against DR Congo, while the Man City-bound player âpasses it forward moreâ and Riceâs approach for Arsenal has âtransferred to Englandâ.
âEngland donât need to play two sitting midfielders in the next game,â Scholes said on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast.
READ: England fans pining for Harry Maguire and Trent after awful Panama win
âNo 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.
âI think he will pass it forward a bit more. Think about Rice with Arsenal⊠look, heâs a great player and a great leader, I get all that, and youâd rather him in your team than not most of the time.
âBut Arsenal didnât play great football last season either, did they? Rice couldnât get [Martin] Odegaard in the game, so maybe thatâs transferred a bit to England. I donât think that happens with Anderson.â
READ MORE: World Cup 2026 Power Rankings: Holders Argentina big winners as knockout stage begins
Paul Scholes makes England World Cup prediction
On Englandâs win over Panama, Scholes continued: âIt wasnât great, was it?
âAcross the three games I donât think Iâve seen a team that will win the World Cup.
âIt hasnât been great but look, they could get better and theyâre winning games and I do think theyâve got match winners in the team.
âI just donât think theyâre at the level of France or Argentina yet.â
Scholesâ podcast co-host, Nicky Butt, also thinks Tuchel should make a change in midfield, but he would pick Rice over Anderson.
âYou canât play two sitting midfielders against teams who arenât going to have any of the possession,â Butt said.
READ NEXT: Two âarrogant and ignorantâ Arsenal stars slammed after England beat Panama
âIâd definitely play Declan Rice in the next game so I would leave Elliot Anderson out.
âI think heâs been brilliant and is a top, top, top player which is why Man City have gone and paid ÂŁ120m for him.
âI just donât think you can leave Declan rice out. Heâs one of those players you just donât leave out.â
