Declan Rice and Jack Grealish helped England to a deserved 2-0 win over the Republic of Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.
Arsenal’s club-record transfer went into the match knowing he was going to get a hostile reception and the same applied to Manchester City star, Grealish.
Before Rice could establish himself in the Premier League, he played for Ireland on three occasions and the feeling was he would represent the country for the rest of his career.
But as the Arsenal star’s career began to blossom at West Ham United, he decided to represent the country of his birth instead, and that switch of allegiance, didn’t go down well in Ireland.
That’s why it was written in the stars for Rice to open the scoring for England against Ireland, and then assist Grealish for the second goal of the game.
Every time the England duo touched the ball, they were getting booed by the home crowd, but that soon changed when they scored.
Roy Keane was pitch side and he reacted to Rice scoring – the legendary midfielder was assistant under Martin O’Neil when the Arsenal man played for Ireland.
The Manchester United legend was honest enough to praise the 25-year-old for his efforts and how well he did in playing ‘one-twos’, before assisting Grealish for his goal.
Keane did admit that there was a sense of ‘irony’ in both Rice and Grealish scoring given the media build-up to the game was largely about that, as he told ITV Sport.
Roy Keane impressed by England and Declan Rice
“I am not going to be too critical of Ireland,” said Keane. “England are too good for them, at this moment in time.
“The decisions they make aren’t great. They don’t know when to close down and they don’t know when to get tight. England are mixing up their game really well. We saw with the first goal (Rice), stretching Ireland and getting in behind. We saw with the second (Grealish) goal. Quick play. One-twos. I think Ireland are stuck between a rock and a hard place.
“We see what Rice does (for the second goal). I am always telling the players. A one-two is the best move in football. Give and go. Give and go again. Then the last bit, can he pick somebody out? A lovely ball back to Grealish and it was ironic that them two players would score the goals. I am inclined to give England credit for their play. They are dominating. Loads of quality.”
Declan Rice begins Lee Carsley era
After Gareth Southgate’s exit, the nation is now set to go down a new road, with Lee Carsley currently in interim charge of England.
Rice has scored the first goal of the Carsley era and you wonder if he will get the job on a long-term basis.
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One thing is for sure, England played far better football under Carsley than they did under Southgate, but it was against a European nation that failed to qualify for Euro 2024.
Either way, Rice is a future England captain and, whoever is in charge, will have the Arsenal man sitting bang in the middle of their midfield.
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