Everton could be afforded the luxury to give some of their fringe players a chance to play the first team this mid-week in the Carabao Cup.

Indeed, two positive wins in October versus AFC Bournemouth and West Ham in the Premier League opened up a five-point gap between the Toffees and Luton Town in 18th with the first team putting in performances that could see some faces given a well-deserved rest.

Sean Dyche has stayed loyal to his first-teamers so far in the Cup however, fielding the likes of Jordan Pickford, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and James Garner in the last round of the competition which saw his travelling side win 2-1 away at Villa Park a mere month after losing at the same ground 4-0 in league action.

Regardless of Dyche persisting with his tried and tested group of players, one or two positions could be up for grabs still with young Toffees talent Lewis Dobbin knocking on the door for more first-team chances.

It will be very intriguing to see who is fielded for the clash against the Clarets, with summer signing Beto also keen for a reintroduction into the first-team fold after scoring versus Doncaster Rovers in the first round of the Cup.

Everton team news vs Burnley

Players such as Seamus Coleman, Dele Alli and Andre Gomes all remain sidelined for this clash at Goodison Park, all still carrying long-term fitness issues, with Coleman out since March courtesy of a troubling knee injury.

Dyche's men haven't really felt the impact of Coleman's lengthy absence, with young right-back Nathan Patterson stepping up to the mark to adequately fill in for the Irishman.

This insertion of young and hungry players into the first team – which has also seen James Garner excel through the centre of the park at only 22 in place of an ageing Idrissa Gueye – has been key in the Blues winning matches of late.

Dobbin – who is only 20 years of age himself – will hope that Dyche will want to tinker and experiment slightly for the Burnley game and give another impressive young talent a start.

Dobbin's numbers this season

Scoring a clinical 14 goals from 36 starts in the Everton U18s age bracket during his career, the 5 foot 9 attacker is yet to translate this devastating form into senior men's football with the Toffees.

In truth, Dobbin has also struggled away from Goodison Park when he was loaned out to Derby County during the 2022-23 season.

Whilst on loan with the Rams, the 19-year-old would only net an underwhelming five goals from 54 starts in total.

Dyche has afforded Everton's number 61 some first-team opportunities here and there this season, but never really enough time for him to make a lasting impact – playing only 117 minutes so far this season in the league, with Dobbin staying put on the substitute bench in Everton's last six Premier League encounters after starting against Wolves.

He did also start from the get-go against Doncaster in the first round of the Carabao Cup, which could point in the direction of Dobbin being included in the starting line-up versus Burnley.

Dobbin was hauled off the pitch at half-time in South Yorkshire to make away for Gueye interestingly, a shake-up in personnel needed after the Toffees found themselves 1-0 down to their League Two opponents at the break.

Attempting zero shots in that 45-minute spell per Sofascore, Dobbin will have to be more adventurous and daring if he's selected again, particularly against Premier League opposition.

A sensation at academy level for the Merseyside outfit, only time will tell if Dobbin can break into the first team over the next few years with matches such as the clash against the Clarets one that the youngster must grab with both hands.

As the Premier League title race heats up, Pep Guardiola and Manchester City may be without seven key players for their clash against Arsenal.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Man City could miss Walker against Arsenal Cityzens could be without up to seven players De Bruyne, Stones, Akanji, Grealish, Nunes and Ederson doubtful Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

As the international break has drawn to a close, the Premier League title race between Liverpool, Arsenal and City will resume again, however, Guardiola's side will have a bigger disadvantage than they did prior to the break. Injuries to Matheus Nunes, Manuel Akanji, John Stones and Kyle Walker during their time with their international team, have added them to the injury list alongside Ederson, Kevin de Bruyne and Jack Grealish.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

It has been reported by Daily Mail that Walker is a major doubt for the upcoming clash against Mikel Arteta's Arsenal. However, he will undergo scans when back with the club side alongside John Stones. The report also stated that the Manchester-based club are monitoring the situations of Ederson, De Bruyne and Grealish and will make a late call for the trio.

(C)Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?

Arteta and Arsenal also have their own injury problems heading into the clash with the likes of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Magalhaes having pulled out of their international squads without playing a game. The Spanish coach will have to make a late decision on the inclusion of the duo.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

WHAT NEXT FOR MAN CITY?

With the clash against Arsenal fast approaching, Man City will make a quick decision on the inclusions to their squad with the Gunners travelling to the Etihad Stadium on March 31.

Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper looks set to finalise his first January signing at the City Ground as he continues to bolster the ranks in the East Midlands, according to reports.

Forest 2-0 Aston Villa

Nottingham Forest climbed up to 12th position in the Premier League table after goals from Ola Aina and Orel Mangala secured a 2-0 victory for the Tricky Trees at home to high-flying Aston Villa.

Clearly impressed by his side, Cooper praised Nottingham Forest's defensive resilience as they subdued Ollie Watkins and company, stating via BBC Sport: "It's a win we really wanted. We knew it was going to be a really tough game. We had to be really clear on the plan. It's pleasing for us to score two goals in the way we thought we could create chances."

He then added: "A real gratitude to the players in terms of committing to the plan and we scored early in both halves. I never felt we would concede today – Aston Villa couldn't carve us open too many times."

Telegraph reporter Luke Edwards has complimented the job Cooper has done in stabilising Nottingham Forest as a force in the Premier League, explaining via BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast: "Steve Cooper being under pressure – football never ceases to amaze me. I had them going down all day every day last season. They stayed up because of Cooper. I think he's one of the most underrated managers in English football."

Continuing on, he said: "Great result for Forest – hopefully that quietens down the noise about Steve Cooper. It's not the first time he's had this sort of noise about him, if you remember reports towards the end of last season, so I hope this is the launchpad to get Forest out of trouble."

Undoubtedly, Cooper has slowly elevated the club's stature to a point where they can regularly claim results in the English top flight; however, their upward trajectory could be accelerated even further by latest reports, which suggest that a talented defender is now on his way to the City Ground.

Nino set to join Nottingham Forest

According to an update from Globo Esporte via Sport Witness, Nottingham Forest are "destined" to sign Fluminense defender Nino for a fee of €7 million (£6 million) in January after taking the necessary steps to secure his signature, with an "agreement" in place with the player.

The 26-year-old will compete in December's Club World Cup before making the move to the City Ground, which will entitle Fluminense to 60% of his transfer fee and 20% of any future fee the Tricky Trees accumulate for his services. His former club, Criciúma, will inherit the other 40% of his transfer fee, something which isn't an uncommon practice in Brazil.

Sponsored by Adidas, Nino has made 50 appearances across all competitions in 2023, registering five goals alongside helping his side claim their first-ever Copa Libertadores crown this past weekend (Nino statistics – Transfermarkt).

Now, a move to the Premier League looks to be on the horizon for the Brazilian defender following his impressive exploits in his homeland.

Manchester City are keeping close tabs on an exciting new attacker, but a fresh report has revealed that they aren't the only club who are hoping to bring him to the Premier League in January.

Where are Man City in the table?

In the English top flight, Pep Guardiola’s side have won six and lost two of their opening eight fixtures, meaning that they find themselves third in the table during the international break behind Tottenham and Arsenal. Here is how those matches have played out:

The Sky Blues currently have a total of 17 players away representing their respective nations, including the likes of Erling Haaland with Norway, Jeremy Doku with Belgium and Julian Alvarez with Argentina (Manchester City website), and this break in domestic action will allow chiefs to assess their transfer options ahead of January.

The Etihad Stadium outfit want to bolster their ranks in the final third having turned their attention towards Palmeiras right-winger Estevao, who despite not having made a senior appearance for his side, is a regular feature of the academy (Transfermarkt – Estevao statistics).

Brazil’s youth international is just 16 years of age, so it’s unlikely that Guardiola is considering a move to throw him straight into the first team due to his lack of experience at a high level. Nevertheless, the talented prospect is a man in demand across Europe.

Estevao transfer update

According to 90min, which has shared a transfer update on Estevao, Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Real Madrid are all "jostling for position" in the race to sign the forward.

As it stands, Carlo Ancelotti's Madrid side are the favourites to secure the services of their target due to their existing relationship with his club, not to mention their incredible history of developing young players, so he could see that as an attractive opportunity.

Therefore, Guardiola – and indeed, Mauricio Pochettino and Mikel Arteta – could find it difficult to sell their projects to the teenager, who has also previously been watched by scouts from Barcelona, Inter and Juventus.

How good is Estevao?

According to talent scout Jacek Kulig, Estevao is an “incredible” attacker for what he is capable of at such a young age, and considering the bags of potential he’s shown so far, he’s got all the attributes to be a success for the long-term future of Man City.

Sponsored by Nike, the left-footed ace has posted three contributions at U20 level (two goals and one assist) in 14 appearances since the start of his career, so he is starting to find his feet when it comes to hitting the back of the net and creating chances in the final third.

In addition, Estevao has the versatility to operate out wide on both the left and right flanks, which is another attribute that chiefs are likely to admire. Therefore, it could be worth going all out to secure the signature of this star in the making in January.

Tottenham Hotspur could reportedly decide to pursue a deal for a new full-back in January, and recently appointed technical director Johan Lange already knows him from a previous job in the Premier League.

Spurs form and best players…

Ange Postecoglou’s team have made a remarkable start to the new campaign having won six and drawn two of their opening eight games, meaning that they are joint top of the table and level on points with rivals Arsenal, with these being the only two clubs left in the division to remain unbeaten.

The Lilywhites currently have several star players away on international duty representing their nations, including Son Heung-Min with South Korea, James Maddison with England and Dejan Kulusevski with Sweden, and this break in domestic action will have allowed club chiefs to start assessing their transfer options ahead of next year.

One of the players that the N17 hierarchy could pursue is Aston Villa right-back Matty Cash, who has made a total of 109 appearances for Unai Emery’s side since putting pen to paper from Nottingham Forest back in 2020 (Transfermarkt – Cash statistics).

The Poland international still has another four years on his deal (Aston Villa contracts), but having emerged as his club's second best-performing defensive player so far this season (WhoScored – Aston Villa statistics), the 26-year-old is attracting interest.

Matty Cash transfer update

According to GiveMeSport, who have delivered a transfer update on Matty Cash, Spurs have been named as a club who could potentially make a surprise approach for the star in January due to his connection with Lange:

"Another Aston Villa player that Lange could look towards is the adventurous right-back, who has impressed during his three-year spell at Villa Park thus far. Cash is very good at getting forward to support attacks, and this could fit with the new Spurs boss' ethos that puts a lot of importance in the full-backs.

"Royal finds himself as the back-up option in the early stages of the season, meaning the Brazilian could seek a new challenge in the near future and this would open up a position for a right-back to come in and Cash could be a very solid option."

What is Matty Cash's salary?

Cash currently pockets £80k-per-week in the Midlands, which he has more than earned during his three years at the club (Aston Villa salaries), so should he ever put pen to paper at Tottenham, it would be a massive coup for Postecoglou and Daniel Levy.

The Slough-born talent has made 21 tackles so far this season which is the joint-highest number in his squad along with Boubacar Kamara (FBRef – Aston Villa statistics), but he’s also capable of using his pace to burst down the flank and create chances for himself and his fellow teammates.

Emery’s attacking “threat”, as hailed by pundit Alex McLeish, has racked up 51 contributions – 27 assists and 24 goals – in 264 career appearances, and having won the Player of the Year award at both Villa and Forest, Cash’s individual positive impact is clear to see.

MatériaMais Notícias

Trabalhando integralmente com o elenco do Flamengo nos últimos dias, o meia Diego Ribas é a novidade entre os relacionados para a partida contra o Coritiba, neste sábado às 19h, no Maracanã, pela 22ª rodada do Brasileirão. O camisa 10 está afastado das partidas há um mês por conta de uma lesão na coxa direita.

O último jogo de Diego foi, justamente, no dia 21 de outubro: o meia atuou os 90 minutos contra o Junior Barranquilla, na fase de grupos da Libertadores. Assim, Diego Ribas foi baixa em oito jogos do Flamengo nos últimos 30 dias.

RelacionadasFlamengoPadre é recebido por VP de futebol e meia do Flamengo no Ninho do UrubuFlamengo20/11/2020FlamengoCom lesão ‘grave e complexa’, Thiago Maia, do Flamengo, passará por cirurgia neste sábadoFlamengo20/11/2020FlamengoQueda não alivia calendário, e Rogério Ceni tem previsão de duas semanas livres no Flamengo em 2020Flamengo19/11/2020

O retorno de Diego é a novidade entre os relacionados do Flamengo para a partida contra o Coritiba. Pedro, Gabriel Barbosa, Filipe Luís e Rodrigo Caio (lesionados), além de Gustavo Henrique e Natan (suspensos), são baixas. #lanceFLA pic.twitter.com/3T0ezYTjgS

— Matheus Dantas (@matheusdantasfr) November 20, 2020

PEDRO É PREPARADO PARA JOGO DE VOLTA CONTRA O RACING

Se Diego retornará aos jogos do Flamengo neste sábado, a expectativa não é tão positiva em relação a outros jogadores. O centroavante Pedro, por exemplo, dificilmente estará à disposição de Rogério Ceni contra o Racing, na próxima terça-feira em Buenos Aires, pela das oitavas de final da Libertadores.

O atacante – que voltou da Seleção Brasileira com uma lesão muscular – seguirá em tratamento durante o final de semana e será reavaliado antes do embarque da delegação para a Argentina, mas a tendência é de que não viaje, dando sequência à recuperação visando a partida de volta, no dia 1º de dezembro.

O lateral Filipe Luís e o atacante Gabriel Barbosa, por outro lado, estão em estágios mais avançados de suas recuperações, já participando, de forma parcial, do treino de sexta-feira com os companheiros no gramado do CT. O clube, por ora, trabalha com a possibilidade dos dois viajarem para a Argentina.

ScorecardMatt Henry was again Kent’s spearhead with 4 for 72 as they completed a 102-run victory against Northamptonshire at Canterbury and maintain their Specsavers County Championship Division Two promotion push.Henry’s latest haul gave the New Zealand fast bowler match figures of 11 for 114 as Northants, who began the final day on 56 for 3 needing another 264 runs for a win of their own, were bowled out for 217 shortly before 2.45pm.Adam Rossington, who top-scored with an excellent 56, held up Kent’s bowlers for almost three hours and featured in a seventh wicket stand of 48 with Nathan Buck, who battled to 17 before gloving a Henry short ball to keeper Sam Billings shortly after lunch.Brett Hutton also offered lower order resistance, with 21, but the end came quickly once Rossington was eighth out, pulling Harry Podmore to Heino Kuhn, who was stationed as one of two short mid wickets.Richard Gleeson was then caught behind off Joe Denly’s leg breaks to go for 3 and Hutton was last out – stumped off Denly, who finished with 2 for 7. Podmore took 2 for 32, while Henry now has 61 championship wickets from eight matches this season at an outstanding average of 14.85 runs apiece.Kent were made to work hard for their eighth win of the championship campaign, however, with the Canterbury pitch flattening out noticeably from the testing surface on which 18 wickets had fallen on day one.Richard Levi, Alex Wakely and Saif Zaib all fell in a hard-fought morning session in which Kent used six bowlers, and it was no surprise when Henry made the day’s initial breakthrough.Matt Henry is Kent’s No 1 weapon•Getty Images

Henry, who took a career-best 7 for 42 in the Northants first innings of 105, opened up from the Nackington Road End and struck in his second over – the fourth of the day – when Levi was beaten by a ball which kept a little low and was leg-before for 14.Earlier in the over, Wakely had driven successive balls from Henry through mid off and mid on for eye-catching fours, and the Northants captain had batted well for 38 from 74 balls when he unluckily edged on to his pad, attempting to force the last ball of Ivan Thomas’s first over through midwicket, and saw it lob up for the bowler to catch the rebound in his follow-through.That was 105 for 5, and Northants lost their sixth wicket when Zaib, who had punched Henry through the covers off the back foot for a lovely four, was caught for 9 when he clipped Podmore’s second ball to Henry at mid-wicket.Then came the Rossington-Buck partnership, however, and Kent were forced to regroup at lunch before Henry – who else? – broke the stand to ensure Billings’ team would bank 19 points from the win and move back into second place in the Division Two table behind leaders Warwickshire and five points in front of Sussex, who are third.Kent’s head coach Matt Walker said: “It was not a straightforward task today. It took quite a bit of hard work because the pitch flattened out very quickly and in the end it took a lot of skill and patience to break the wall down, if you like.”Matt Henry has been in unbelievable form this season and the number of wickets he’s got is extraordinary. But all our other bowlers have also stood up, all season, in support of Matt and they’ve all had their moments too. I thought, for instance, that Harry Podmore bowled brilliantly today – as he did up at Derby in our last match on a flat pitch.”

Alex Milton scored a maiden Championship hundred last month but the runs he squeezed out in Southport could be worth a lot more

Paul Edwards30-Aug-2018
ScorecardAsk a county batsman which of his innings is his favourite and you will not always be told of jewelled centuries on ivory stages. Quite frequently you will hear instead of the knock that made a difference. Last month Alex Milton scored a century on his County Championship debut but he did so in a losing cause, albeit it included a 136-run last wicket partnership with Steve Magoffin. On the second day of this match, Milton’s third in Division One, he made a mere 37 but shared the 61-run stand for the fifth wicket with Ben Cox that has probably tipped this game decisively in Worcestershire’s favour.Milton was fortunate that Cox was his batting partner. The Worcestershire wicketkeeper is one of the most underestimated cricketers on the circuit and his 40 took a little of the pressure off his younger colleague. But the pair came together when their team were 56 for 4 and their lead over Lancashire was a mere 117. Their stand sucked much of the venom out of Lancashire and it was the best of six significant alliances which all but filled an absorbing last two sessions at Trafalgar Road.Talking T20

Matt Roller joins Dan Norcross to assess the Vitality Blast quarter-finals and predict how it may all turn out on Finals Day.
Listen on ESPN radio

Six overs before the end of the day Worcestershire were finally dismissed for 252 and the home side opened with a nightwatchman, Toby Lester, and Haseeb Hameed, who remains on a pair. Lancashire still need a further 306 runs to win and no one with a full complement of marbles fancies their chances.The pitch did not ease greatly throughout the day. It has never been a desperately difficult pitch but Brett D’Oliveira’s dismissal to a magnificent ball from Graham Onions which landed on middle and off before seaming away showed that there has always been a wicket in this surface. But both Milton and Cox adapted to the conditions in the manner of old pros; the balls they kept out or let go were just as important as those they cut or clipped to the white fences around this great ground. Cox, in particular, was prepared to wear a few on his body and to bat through a fine spell by Lester. As for Milton, when he considers how his life has been spent, he may well conclude that the two-and-a-quarter hours he took gritting it out at Trafalgar Road have been among the most valuable.It certainly set the tone for the rest of the innings. Tom Bailey, who had taken three early wickets, was not as effective as the ball got older, and later batsmen found batting a slightly more agreeable task than Worcestershire’s top order. Ed Barnard batted well once again, albeit for a mere 24 and Josh Tongue’s 20 helped him add yet another 26 for the last wicket with Dillon Pennington.Wayne Parnell contributed vital runs•Getty Images

But the applause of this good-natured and knowledgeable crowd greeted the batting of Wayne Parnell, who made 50 off 74 balls and hit Keshav Maharaj for a straight six into the media tent, where most of the inhabitants were watching the cricket. Parnell’s excellent choice of shot throughout his innings revealed his pedigree and showed how he has bought into Worcestershire’s appealing ethos of hard work and great enjoyment.And as the afternoon progressed, bowlers toiled for the first time in this match. Maharaj’s spell from the Grosvenor Road End claimed three wickets but it did not change the pattern established by Cox and Milton. Likewise, Graham Onions removed Barnard and Ben Twohig but not before they had strengthened Worcestershire position. Lancashire’s bowlers and fielders became quieter even as the noise from the marquees increased. Perhaps they were considering the size of the task facing them; perhaps some of those thoughts could not be voiced in the changing room. Even as Worcestershire’s players view the prospect that they might beat Yorkshire and Lancashire in the space of nine glorious days, Dane Vilas and his players are pondering a different fate.Of course the home side’s task would not be so formidable had not D’Oliveira’s bowlers secured a 61-run first innings lead. Thus the Worcestershire bowlers could be pleased with their effort in taking the last five Lancashire wickets for 65 in little more than an hour’s graft. Josh Tongue, who has the ability to extract bounce from the blandest surface, took the first and last wickets to fall on Thursday, and finished with 5 for 53.Once again, though, Lancashire dug their own graves before obligingly interring themselves and pulling the turf across the plots. Josh Bohannon, for example, had played with purpose and intent for his 13 before he turned blind and was run out by Barnard’s throw when thinking of a third run. But this is a game which has never been short of gallows humour and it is the season when the light is dying, and with it, the green hopes of springtime.

Craig Miles is heading for Warwickshire but he is saying goodbye to his Gloucestershire team mates with a winning celebration

ECB Reporters Network26-Sep-2018
ScorecardCraig Miles signed off his Gloucestershire career by hitting the winning runs to secure a two-wicket victory on a pulsating third and final day of the Division Two match against Derbyshire at Derby.Miles, who is joining Warwickshire next season, danced down the pitch to strike the winning boundary as Gloucestershire survived a late collapse to reach their target of 179.Benny Howell looked to have won the game with 58 but four wickets went down for 20 runs before Miles settled the contest with boundaries off leg-spinner Matt Critchley.Derbyshire looked slight favourites at the start of another glorious early autumn morning but nightwatchman George Drissell set the tone for a determined batting display by surviving the first 10 overs.Drissell showed good judgement and temperament until he drove loosely at Tony Palladino and was lbw for 16 but the quick wickets Derbyshire needed would not come.The pitch appeared to have eased but Howell batted confidently from the start although Palladino should have removed Miles Hammond when the opener pulled him to midwicket where Lockie Ferguson spilled the chance.Hammond only made another four runs but crucially, it was eight more overs before Derbyshire removed him and by then, Howell was set and finding the gaps.He drove Palladino through the covers for four and on drove the seamer for another boundary and the target was below 100 when Hammond edged a drive at Hardus Viljoen to first slip.Gloucestershire needed only 64 at lunch and Howell started the afternoon session by twice driving Palladino straight to the boundary to reach 50 from 49 balls.Derbyshire finally turned to the leg-spin of Critchley and he made the breakthrough in his second over when Howell wedged a drive to point where Alex Hughes held a sprawling catch.Ben Charlesworth lofted Critchley over mid on for four but was lbw playing back to a leg break and Gloucestershire’s nerves were rattling when Ryan Higgins top-edged a pull at Lockie Ferguson and was caught and bowled.Jack Taylor clipped Ferguson to the midwicket boundary and steered him to third man for four but was brilliantly caught at cover by Billy Godleman with 10 needed.But Miles fittingly had the last word, pulling Critchley to fine leg for four before driving him back over head to complete a thrilling victory.

England manager Gareth Southgate has confirmed Declan Rice will captain the Three Lions on Tuesday against Belgium at Wembley Stadium.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• England to face Belgium at Wembley Stadium
• Harry Kane and Kyle Walker out injured
• Declan Rice will take over armband

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Rice will captain England for the first time on Tuesday when the Three Lions take on Belgium at Wembley. The Arsenal midfielder has been handed the armband due to injuries to Harry Kane and Kyle Walker, who have both been ruled out of the match. It will certainly be a memorable night for Rice against Belgium as he will also make his 50th appearance for England.

Advertisement

• WHAT RICE SAID

  He told reporters: "I'm speechless to be honest with you, absolutely lost for words. I think when he told me last night I was going to be captain, I gave him a hug, shook his hand and said thank you very much. I owe him a lot. Since I first came into the team he's always made me feel at home, I always felt so comfortable playing under him. I've really grown in confidence. To walk out at Wembley on my 50th cap in front of my friends and family, it's an absolute honour. I think you can see from my face – bit speechless to be honest with you."

• WHAT SOUTHGATE SAID

  He told a news conference: "Declan is here. It's his 50th cap. He has great leadership experience already at a tender age. I think it's a brilliant opportunity for some of our young players to show leadership and to experience that. Some of our core group Kane, Trippier, Walker, Maguire are not with us. So a different feel about the group, different dynamic and that's a great opportunity for other people to step up, to lead, to grow and that's important. A lot of the players involved are the future of the team as well for the mid and long term. And the more of those experiences they can have is useful for everybody."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The decision to hand Rice the captaincy comes during an impressive season for the midfielder. Rice has become a key figure for Arsenal, scoring six goals and contributing five assists to their Premier League title challenge. He's also an integral figure at international level and will be hoping he can lead England to victory on Tuesday night.