WATCH | How England Plan To Win Euro 2024 - Tactical Preview
Much has been made of England's troubles in midfield over the years, especially with Kalvin Phillips nowhere near the squad this summer.
Phillips played alongside Rice for most of Euro 2020, as Southgate's men made it all the way to the final before being beaten on penalties by Italy at Wembley Stadium.
"You see players at top clubs that allow the best players to shine because they play those roles in the team that means the collective is sort of more important than the individual," Neville began speaking to Sky Sports.
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"What we have at this moment is a real shortage of experienced central midfield players that can play in that position. The problem is not Trent Alexander-Arnold, I don't think we are getting the most out of Declan Rice in that holding role
"That's why Kalvin Phillips played with him, and it works. It allows Declan Rice, who is one of our best players and I sat watching the game on Sunday with Roy Keane, I think Roy Keane could play holding midfield, but you would be stupid to stop him [from] running forward with his power and his strength."
Declan Rice has been integral to England's midfield in recent years (Image credit: Getty Images)
"What we do have at the moment is a player with that kind of power in Declan Rice and we are asking him to sit there in midfield and sweep up," added Neville.
"He's not a Rodri, he's not a Busquets, that is not Declan Rice. Mikel Arteta has worked that out this season and we need to look at it collectively and how we get around it.
"Jordan Henderson and Kalvin Phillips have filled those gaps for years, they are not fashionable players or are players that fans want to see on the pitch because they want to see [Jude] Bellingham, [Cole] Palmer, [Phil] Foden, but to win a tournament you need them."
Matthew is a Freelance Journalist and has racked up bylines for Manchester United, Manchester Evening News, GOAL and SPORTbible to name a few. A long-term sufferer of Scunthorpe United, he currently resides in the north-west after escaping the smog of North Lincolnshire.
