Chris Sutton feels Leeds United’s Tyler Adams upstaged West Ham’s Declan Rice during the USA and England’s draw at the World Cup. Both midfielders started the 0-0 Group B affair.
The Three Lions were a shadow of the side that thrashed Iran 6-2 in their opening match at Qatar 2022. Gregg Berhalter’s USMNT squad took control in Al Khor in the early stages and rarely let England off. Were it not for Jordan Pickford and the posts, they would have won.
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Harry Maguire was also strong in defence once again and he had to be as the USA attacked relentlessly. Matt Turner in America’s net was rarely tested in comparison to Pickford at Al Bayt Stadium. Adams’ work in the USA’s engine room was key to them taking control early.
Tyler Adams was key to the USA’s efforts as Declan Rice struggled for England
Adams anchored the USA’s midfield tremendously well against England as Berhalter’s side sought their first win during this World Cup. He screened the Stars and Stripes’ backline at every opportunity to limit the chances Gareth Southgate’s side could create in their forays.
Rice did not enjoy the same success for England whilst trying to stem the flow of the USA’s attacks. Southgate was often asking too much of the West Ham captain as Jude Bellingham pushed on and Mason Mount charged around the field without making much of an impact.
The USA also occasionally got the better of Rice when they put the 36-cap England anchor under pressure. He struggled to keep the Three Lions ticking over while the players around him laboured. But the West Ham midfielder was by no means England’s worst performer.
The Leeds star impressed Chris Sutton ‘the most’ over the Three Lions’ ‘safety net’
Adams bossing his duels impressed Sutton much more than what Rice managed in England and the USA’s World Cup draw. The former Celtic striker praised what the £20m Leeds star showed in Al Khor in his column for the Daily Mail, whilst accepting others influenced Rice.
“Bellingham and Mount are given licence to get further forward while Rice stays back as a safety net,” he wrote. “But the defensive midfielder who impressed the most in this match was [the] tireless Tyler Adams of Leeds. He was here, there and everywhere. Rice wasn’t.”
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